JEN has been serving warm meals to people who are “in-home evacuees” in Ishinomaki. Since April 7, they have been serving 100 lunches and 50 dinners each day. These meals are being prepared by a group of volunteers who rushed to the region from Kobe, which was also struck by a major earthquake in 1994. JEN is continuing to recruit volunteers so that it can provide more meals to those in need.
AAR Japan is working to provide hot meals at evacuation centers in Miyagi Prefecture. Last week, they prepared beef stew to serve to 500 people in a Minamisanriku evacuation center and those in the surrounding areas. The stew was prepared lovingly by many volunteers and won rave reviews, with about 100 people coming back for second helpings. One woman in her 70s told the volunteers, “My home was completely destroyed, and I’ve been very sad, but to have people come and offer us warm stew really warms my heart.” Another man in his 60s said, “Please tell everyone about the conditions here.” He also told them, “It might take some time, but I hope that in 2 or 3 years we can invite all of you who have prepared meals for us back here so that we can thank you.” A group of 15-year-old boys were asked, “What do you need most right now?” They answered, “Love.” The volunteer responded, “A lot of love went into this stew,” to which the boys responded, “That’s why it’s the best stew we’ve ever tasted!”