3.15.2011

Bakesale for Japan: April 2, 2011

Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, 
can transform the world. --Howard Zinn




Sister bakesales: Akron Vegan Bakesale for Japan (Akron, OH) 
                                         Toronto Bakes for Japan (Toronto, ON) 

When: Saturday, April 2nd from 10am-2pm  
Who:  Professional and amateur bakers, cooks, artists, artisans, and musicians coming together around food to make something BIG happen.
How: Want to help?  We'll need bakers, artists, volunteers, and lots and lots of customers.  Please send offers of help to bakesaleforjapan@gmail.com
Why: So we can donate BIG BUCKS to Peace Winds Japan and help our brothers and sisters over there in the best way we can.  Stay tuned for details.

We will be folding 1,000 paper cranes to send to friends in Japan.  Do you have origami paper to donate?  Can you teach others how to fold cranes on the day of the sale?  If so, send me an email.

Our long list of accomplished collaborators includes folks from: 
  • Pizzaiolo
  • BiRite Market & Creamery
  • Gioia Pizzeria
  • A16 & SPQR
  • Chez Panisse
  • Peko-Peko
  • ClaireSquares
  • Tartine Bakery
  • Summer Kitchen Bakeshop
  • Starter Bakery
  • Bakers Dozen
  • Viola 
  • Blossom Bluff Orchards
  • Tell Tale Preserve Company
  • Four Barrel Coffee
  • Blue Bottle Coffee
  • Mr. Espresso
  • Oxbow Public Market
  • June Taylor Company
  • Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe
  • Bar Jules

...and so many more that I haven't had time to list.  I will keep adding to this list later in the week!

Last year, we raised $23,000 at our Bakesale for Haiti.  Can we double, triple, or quadruple that number this time?

If you'd like to offer a corporate sponsorship, match, or involve your organization, please email me at bakesaleforjapan@gmail.com.

Don't live in the Bay Area?  Host your own Bakesale for Japan on April 2nd!  Let's band together and take this thing national.  Email me and I will get you set up.  

Please check back daily for updates.

33 comments:

  1. If nothing else turns up on the Peninsula I offer my Redwood City driveway, I know my neighbors would love this and support this. Angela

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  2. How about some locations in the south/east bay too? There are tons of folks in San Jose area (Silicon Valley)...
    Have you set up event listings on Facebook for these events/locations yet? That would probably really help spread the word too (besides what's already being RT'd on Facebook)...

    Meliha

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  3. Meliha, there are already 2 East Bay locations listed, and I have a South Bay location in the works. There is also a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=188990221142414

    Do you have any specific suggestions for Silicon Valley locations?

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  4. I am in Redwood City and would be happy to bake something for the effort.

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  5. Excellent, Ali--send me an email at bakesaleforjapan@gmail.com and I will get you set up with the details.

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  6. The Great Kiwi Bake-Off Team in New Zealand love your style. Raising funds for our friends in Christchurch Worldwide Bake sales, we are always here to support others.

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  7. Meliha - I live in Japantown in downtown San Jose and am working to make one happen here. I've been in contact with Samin. If you want to help me out, contact me at paige(dot)bayer(at)gmail(dot)com

    Paige

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  8. Samin, thanks for organizing this fundraiser. I think so many of us want to be an active part of something bigger than ourselves and didn't know where to help other than sending checks to the Red Cross.

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  9. I'm ready to organize in Santa Cruz. This is perfect. Last night I was so upset by all the news and wanted to do something besides send money. So, rallying bakers here in Santa Cruz!

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  10. Hello, I'm Japanese. my hometown and my family is all OK. but Thank you for organizing bake sale!
    I've been watching TV news. I don't know what to say..I have no word... It's so sad...
    I would love to do this things in Japan too.
    Thank you so much all of you!

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  11. Hey Samin! I love the energy you've generated around this effort. We're not going to be around for the event but I have an idea of how we can help. An email is on the way :)

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  12. Chiaki Yamada3/18/2011 8:22 AM

    As a Japanese, I am so grateful for your organizing this event. I will pass this information to as many people as possible.
    Thanks again!

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  13. Hello, I think this is such a great idea. I am definitely grateful to people like you for the energy and effort in organizing this bake sale! However, I am a little disappointed that there wasn't any discussion or any dialogue about choosing the org to fund. Can you elaborate on why you chose Peace Winds as the charity benefiting from all the bake sales? I see that it hasn't been evaluated by Charity Navigator, which generally indicates that it hasn't been in existence long enough. Based on their website, FY 2010 was their first full year of program work, so it is not totally clear how efficiently the funds will be used. My understanding is that well-established orgs such as MSF or Red Cross are just way more efficient in using donations to help (as opposed to covering administrative costs, etc.)
    I don't know how others feel, but the choice of org is really important to me and I would have loved to see more of a dialogue about this.
    Sincerely
    Kim

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  14. Please do something in Washington DC too!

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  15. Hi Kim,
    I actually spent a couple hours yesterday on the phone with the folks at PW America, and though that branch has only been in existence for 2 years, PW Japan is an NGO that has been on the ground there for 15 years doing great, great relief work. Charity Navigator doesn't have anything to say about that since it's not an American organization.

    100% of this money will go to ground relief--things like medical and sanitary supplies, blankets and clothing, and as available, long-term reconstruction.

    Further info:

    --Peace Winds Japan is one of the largest Japanese Disaster and Emergency Response NGOs (Non-Government Organizations)
    --Peace Winds America is a 501 (c) 3 organization. All donations are taxe deductible.
    --All donations received by Peace Winds America will be directed to Japan emergency relief series through their sister organization, Peace Winds Japan.
    --They were on a list of "recommended" sites I saw from AJET (The Association for Japan--Education and Teaching) as part of the "Man Up For Japan" fundraising
    --I spoke with Mari in their Seattle Office and was impressed with what they do

    There was an article in the NY Times about PW Japan that you can look for as well.

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  16. Hi Samin,

    I sent you an email few days ago but I haven't received any response yet. I live in the Peninsula but I can go anywhere I am needed. Two of my friends and I love to bake and we want to offer as much help as we can provide. Please sign me up..! Thanks!!

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  17. Any word on the Portland location? I'm ready to help!

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  18. Hi anon,
    Email PDXbakesale@gmail.com for more info.

    Thanks!
    samin

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  19. Miranda of Mira Cakes here. I sent a message to the gmail address and am waiting for a response. I'm looking forward to participating in the San Jose sale!

    Miranda

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  20. hi miranda,
    we are deluged with offers of help, so please bear with us while we work through the emails. someone will get back to you soon!
    thanks!
    samin

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  21. I just wanted to say how giddy I am to find out Miranda of Mira Cakes is going to be at the San Jose sale! So exciting!

    An e-mail from Paige, the person in charge of the SJ bake sale, said that she's going to be sending out an update to volunteers tomorrow (Sunday), so that we would receive more information then.

    Thank you for offering to help!

    Stephanie
    :D

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  22. For those in Philly, here's the Facebook page for South Street Philly Bagels with info on the Bake Sale for Japan https://www.facebook.com/pages/South-St-Philly-Bagels/115412925154371?sk=wall

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  23. One untapped resource that people might not be thinking of are the large numbers of Japanese students who are currently in the US. I have hosted several students from Japan (all of my kids are safe, thankfully) and a friend is currently hosting one. At a party last night I was talking with her and her friend about this tragedy. While neither can bake I'm sure students would love to help at bake sales and also answer questions about what they know. Consider contacting your local universities to see if Japanese students are interested in helping as well.

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  24. An added note about Peace Winds: The Mercy Corps emergency team is working on the ground with Peace Winds--they are longstanding partners.

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  25. How about Danbury or Ridgefield CT???

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  26. Hi Chef. Great work! Do you happen to have a Facebook page for BakeSaleForJapan? We'd be happen to point our readers toward it. You're on our front page today (3/23 www.CookingTeens.com) and lots of our readers are Facebook fanatics. I'm sure they'd be thrilled to help.
    Carol D. Editor, Cooking Teens Magazine

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  27. This is wonderful! It's inspired me to start my own bake sale. There's already been some in the Harrisburg, PA area. :)

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  28. NYC Location is at the Brooklyn Flea! Here's the dedicated NYC page:

    http://bakeforjapannyc.tumblr.com/

    Follow on Twitter @BakeforJapanNYC

    Facebook event page: http://on.fb.me/fvln2L

    Thanks!

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  29. Hi Carol, Yes we do have FB page: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=188990221142414&ref=ts

    Thanks for spreading the word!

    Mary, email me at bakesaleforjapan@gmail.com if you want me to send you the organizer's kit!

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  30. Hi Samin
    I would like to be a part of this bake sale. I live close to San Jose and would like to participate in that location. Looking forward being a part of such a noble deed.

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  31. We are hosting one in Belvedere-Tiburon, CA this Saturday, April 2 at St. Stephen's Church. How can I get it listed, please?

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  32. HI!

    a friend just sent this to me as I am putting together a bake sale in Los Angeles on the 10th (it was going to be on the 2nd - but got pushed back, so it could be bigger and better!)
    it is so wonderful! and i share your views on wanting a sense of community!

    i will be posting info on it this coming week on my blog
    www.thesphinxandthemilkyway.com

    -L

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  33. Hi Samin,

    I stopped by the Bake Sale Japan at Bi-Rite Market today, and purchased (among other things) a little cellophane bag of 3 mini cupcakes that reads "Love Sweets: Best wishes for your great happiness" and a sticker towards the bottom with the description "Green tea w/red bean mochi cupcakes" The cupcakes were deelish, but now I want more and I've googled everything that's on the bag, and I can't find anything! Can you help me with any info, please?

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