DYMO Endicia Partners with Black Rock City Airlift to Send Magic Boxes to Japan Disaster Victims

When disaster strikes many people feel compelled to help, but often do not help because they don’t feel they have the means to make a difference. But that didn’t’ stop this group of friends. Led by the saying, “The greatest of all mistakes is to do nothing because you can only do a little – do what you can,” eight friends decided to do what they could to help the victims of the Japan tsunami.

Guided by their volunteer experience from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the diverse group of friends joined together to determine how to get the necessary aide to victims quickly. They could have easily supported one of the established large non-profits, but instead they decided to ship supplies directly to the disaster area in Japan via the U.S. Postal Service.

With the recent launch of Priority Mail® Flat Rate Boxes, international shipping via the USPS® is very economical and efficient. In fact, Black Rock City Airlift sent a test box with approximately $250 worth of supplies to Second Harvest in Tokyo and it arrived in four days. The other great thing about using Large Flat Rate Priority Mail Boxes is that Black Rock City Airlift was able to put as much as they could fit into one box, up to 20 pounds, and if it fit it shipped. When shipping domestically, you can ship up to 70 pounds.

With the success of the first box, Black Rock City Airlift approached DYMO Endicia as a shipping sponsor and DYMO Endicia generously agreed to donate $3,000 in postage to support Black Rock City Airlift’s efforts. In addition, by using DYMO Endicia software, Black Rock City Airlift was able to streamline its international shipping process through the use of DYMO Endicia’s International Shipping Advisor, which provides electronic customs forms, advises the shipper on which forms to fill out and guides them through the process.

Black Rock City Airlift followed the test box with fourteen additional boxes carrying $800 worth of food and clothing to their friend Tet in Sendai, Japan. Tet then delivered the supplies to a makeshift shelter in a school and a hospital located near the edge of the evacuation zone from one of the reactors.

Soon after the first supplies were delivered, the airport re-opened and Japan was able to get heavy equipment in to clear the roads for trucks and the relief agencies in Japan were able to stock up on necessary supplies. So, Black Rock City Airlift decided to turn its efforts away from providing critical supplies to supporting schools that are in need of supplies.

Black Rock City Airlift decided to partner with Teachers for Japan, a non-profit organization committed to rebuilding education in northern Japan in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011. Teachers for Japan has requested English learning supplies to support the English language mandate in Japan, musical instruments to provide students with extra-curricular educational activities and rain boots for the upcoming rainy season.

Black Rock City Airlift recently sent four boxes of educational books to Teachers for Japan. Each box weighed approximated 19 pounds and included materials worth $250. Two of the boxes were prepared by a family that volunteered to help in the effort. You too can help this great cause as the need in Japan is still great. We invite everyone to join with Black Rock City Airlift and DYMO Endicia to send needed supplies to students in Japan.

To participate, logon to http://doornumber7.com/airlift/participate/