You need to give love before you can receive it.

Last year, hundreds of Bay Area philanthropists came together around a cause called Tools 4 Schools. The project yielded close to $10,000 in funds that went towards much needed classroom supplies that have diminished from our schools due to tremendous budget cuts in California. The needs were not as grandiose as you would think. Most teachers asked for basics – paper, crayons and pencils – because these were what their kids had none of.

You know that California faces serious problems when our education system cannot afford to provide children with these basic supplies. Forget science and mathematics when a child has nothing to write with. And this should never be our baseline.

Tools 4 Schools rallied hundreds of generous hearts and here is all the good news, delivered.

Tools 4 Schools Newsletter: Newsletter T4S

Donate to JCCCNC’s Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund via http://kokuajapan.org/ and Minami Tamaki LLP, IOYS and other campaign partners will match 50% of your donation up to $10,000.

#22 Issue Release Party
March 16, 2011
6-9PM
Vessel San Francisco
85 Campton Place
San Francisco, CA

Donations will be made to the Japantown Community and Cultural Center of Northern California

Sponsored by Hyphen Magazine

Emergency Fundraiser for Japan
March 19, 2011
9PM-130AM
Press Club
20 Yerba Buena Lane
San Francisco, CA

Suggested donation: Minimum of $10

Donations are going to the Japanese Red Cross
Donate online: http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html

Hosted by Drinks for A Cause

JAPAN Relief Fundraiser at Wokcano
March 20, 2011
6-9PM
Wokcano Santa Monica
1412 5th Street
Santa Monica, CA

$20 suggested donation at door.

Donations go to the 2011 Japan Relief Fund

Hosted by: Asian Professional Exchange (APEX, Tuan Do)

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors host a Fundraiser for Japan
March 23, 2011
530-8PM
111 Minna
San Francisco, CA

$20 suggested donation at the door

Donation will be made to 2 organizations:
JCCNC: Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund
for more information: www.jccnc.org
Japan Multicultural Relief Fund
for more information: http://www.jprn.org/relieffund.html

Hosted by: San Francisco Supervisors Eric Mar, Mark Farrell, David Chiu, Carmen Chu, Ross Mirkarimi, Jane Kim, Sean Elsbernd, Scott Wiener, David Campos, Malia Cohen, John Avalos

Japanese Earthquake Disaster Relief – Save the Children
March 26, 2011
6-10PM (21+)
The Park at Fourteenth
920 14th St. NW,
Washington, DC

Suggested Donation:
$15 minimum suggested donation at the door or ONLINE
$10 suggested donation for students
$50 HONOR ROLL!

Hosted by: Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership, NAAAP-DC, Kollaboration DC, Alpha Kappa, Delta Phi Alumnae Association, Asian Pacific American Bar Association-DC, Asian American Government Executives Network, Asian American Journalists Association, Chinatown Community Cultural Center, Class of Change, Department of Justice Pan Asia, Freeline Music Group, Filipino Young Professionals-DC, Generation Echo Entertainment, Japanese American Citizens League DC Young Professionals, Lamda Phi Epsilon DC Alumni Association, Pacific Culture International, Pop Show Japan/Katana, Regroup TV, Sejong Society, Sigma Psi Zeta Alumnae Association, South Asian Bar Association DC Chapter, Taiwanese American Professionals DC, The Washington Area Japanese Culture Meetup, Toramaru Entertainment, United Nations Association-YPIC, 20s & 30s Asian Going Out Group

32 Bay Area API organizations come together for Japan

Humanitarian Asians and Pacific Islanders (HAPI) Fundraising Hour for Japan
March 31, 2011
5-9PM
Recess
443 Broadway St.
San Francisco, CA

Suggested donation: $5-$20

Donations go to JCCCNC

Co-sponsoring Organizations: Bay Area Benefit, DAE Advertising, Taiwanese American Professionals, Asian Business League, Project by Project, American Legion Cathay Post #384, KollaborationSF, Corporate Asian American Employee Network (CAAEN), Richmond Area Multi-Services, SF Samoa, Samoan Parents in Action, Fa’atasi (Together as One), Together Samoa, OLO—One Love Oceania, UTOPIA, Oriented, Samoan Solutions, Pacific Health Club, Tongan Interfaith Council, Mission District Re-Entry Center, APOP Hawaiian Cultural Center, Books for the Barrios, Vive SF, Asian Pacific American Democratic Caucus of Alameda County, Wokai, San Francisco Asian Peace Officers Association, Society of Asian Women Leaders, Korean American Professional Society, Center for Asian American Media, Filipino-American Law Enforcement Officers Association, Bay Area Asian Pacific American Legislative Staffers, and HYPHEN

Host Committee: Keesa Ocampo, Keith Kamisugi, Derek Choy, Eli Kuo, Yumi Chang, Christopher Do, and many more to be announced

Community Partners: The Tides Foundation

Kokua Japan Concert
(from SFGate.com)
April 2, 2011
Peace Plaza (Post St.)
Japantown, San Francisco

It’s official: The Hawaiian-themed free concert and fund-raiser for Japan’s earthquake and tsunami victims will take place Saturday, April 2, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in San Francisco’s Japantown Peace Plaza. Called Kōkua Japan San Francisco (kōkua is Hawaiian for “help”), the event will solicit donations for the Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund. Proceeds from raffle tickets and commemorative T-shirt sales will also go into the fund, created by the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California.

Organized by concerned members of the Bay Area’s Hawaiian and Asian American community, the benefit will feature a first-rate lineup of musicians and dancers, including:

* Hawaiian music acts Steven Espaniola and friends, Faith Ako and friends, the ‘AHAmele ‘Ukulele Group, Ho’omana, Side Order Band (featuring Chris Kamaka and Asa Young) and JD Puli and friends;
* Hula from Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu of San Francisco, Ke ‘Olu Makani ‘O Mauna Loa with kumu Mealana Manuel of Volcano, Hawai’i, and Ka Liko Pua O Kalaniākea of Fremont, plus ‘ōte’a (Tahitian dance) from Merahi O Tehani of Union City;
* Diverse local bands such as Feelosophy (funk, soul), Project Gojira (fusion) and Native Elements (reggae) and Styme & the Pimp Jones Luv Orchestra (funk, rock, ska.)

NBC newsman and stand-up comic Mike Inouye will emcee the show, with breaks for raffles of donated merchandise. Kōkua Japan San Francisco’s organizers were arranging with the Hawai’i Lieutenant Governor’s office this week for Hawaiian Airlines to do a speedy airlift of 200 “Aloha” T-shirts from Hawai’i. Designed by the Grp Home collective to raise money for disaster relief following the March 11 9.0 earthquake, the fast-selling T-shirts have inspired a Hawai’i-wide initiative called Aloha for Japan. The T-shirts will cost $25, of which $15 will go to disaster relief (the rest covers materials, Hawai’i sales tax and event logistics.)

Funds raised will be collected by the nonprofit Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival (which takes place the following two weekends in Japantown), which will turn the check over to the earthquake fund managed by Union Bank and JCCCNC, which promises 100 percent of proceeds will go to direct relief. Other contributors to the Kōkua Japan San Francisco event include Osaki Creative Group, which designed an equally cool logo (see below); Sandy Lee of the city’s Parks and Rec department, which manages the Peace Plaza; Aloha Warehouse, Colortone Digital, Sound Innovations, Susie Kagami and the Hawai’i Chamber of Commerce of Northern California. (Note: I also provided the organizers some public relations advice, but I would have promoted this event here anyway, given the close — and overlapping — ties of the Bay Area’s communities with roots in Hawai’i and/or Japan.)

And it’s not the only Hawaiian-themed fund-raiser: This Saturday (March 26) you can also help raise money for the JCCCNC’s Northern Japan Earthquake Relief Fund by attending one of three special screenings of “Hula Girls,” an award-winning 2006 film based on the true story of a Japanese town that created a Hawaiian-themed resort after its coal mining industry shut down in the 1960s.

Japan’s nominee for the 2007 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, the poignant comedy is subtitled and features original music by Jake Shimabukuro (who plays the Palace of Fine Arts Saturday–more about that tomorrow.) And making it more poignant: It’s set in Fukushima prefecture, site of the Dai-ichi nuclear power plant severely damaged in the March 11 earthquake/tsunami.

The movie screens at 2, 4:30 and 7 p.m. at VIZ Cinema, 1746 Post St. (between Octavia and Webster in Japantown.) Click here to buy tickets, starting at $10 (since it’s a donation, you can pay more; 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the earthquake relief fund.)

Bakesale for Japan
April 2, 2011
10AM-2PM

Donations go to: Peace Winds Japan

Participating establishments:
Oakland–Pizzaiolo (5008 Telegraph Ave.)
Berkeley–Gioia Pizzeria (1586 Hopkins St.)
San Francisco (Mission)–Bi-Rite Market (3639 18th St.)
San Francisco (Fillmore)–SPQR (1911 Fillmore St.)
San Jose–Roy’s Station (197 Jackson St.)
Marin–coming soon
Peninsula–coming soon
Napa/Sonoma–want to host? email me at bakesaleforjapan@gmail.com
Santa Cruz–Lulu’s at the Octagon (Museum of Art and History–118 Cooper St.; email SantaCruzBakesale@gmail.com)
Los Angeles–coming soon (email LosAngelesBakesale@gmail.com)
Portland, OR–coming soon (email (pdxbakesale@gmail.com)
Boston, MA–coming soon (email BosBakesale@gmail.com)
Philadelphia, PA–South Street Philly Bagel (613 S. 3rd St.)
Seattle, WA–CakeSpy Shop (415 E. Pine St.)
NYC–coming soon (email NYCBakesale@gmail.com)
Austin, TX–http://austinbakes.wordpress.com/
Salt Lake City, UT–coming soon
Maui, HI–coming soon

DONATE HERE.

Past Events:
December 2: Tools 4 Schools-San Francisco
My Boudoir
2285 Union Street
San Francisco, CA

December 8: Tools 4 Schools-Peninsula
Mink
6192 Mission Street
Daly City, CA

December 9: Tools 4 Schools-San Jose
Azucar
71 E. San Fernando Street
San Jose, CA

December 16: Tools 4 Schools-East Bay
Meridian
2050 University Ave.
Berkeley, CA

December 23: Tools 4 Schools-Holiday Love
Rosewood Bar
732 Broadway
(between Stockton St & Turk Murphy Ln)
San Francisco, CA 94133

Tools 4 Schools
A commitment to every child, every classroom, everyday.
Bay Area-wide drive (school supplies collection): November 18-December 10, 2010

DONATE HERE.
For an acknowledgment and tax deductible receipt, send your EVENTBRITE email to keesa@ocampo.com

Books for the Barrios, a registered 501(c)(3) organization, is the fiscal agent for Tools 4 Schools.

Giving is easy. Share some things you have at home or work!

Our kids and schools need:
1. Paper (white copy paper, colored paper, binder paper, notebooks)
2. Pencils (#2, colored pencils)
3. Crayons and Markers
4. First Aid Kits (hand sanitizer, band-aids, ice packs)
5. Board Games and Flash Cards
6. Books (new or gently used)
7. Office Depot / Staples gift cards

We made it easy for you too! You can drop your donated items at any of our drop off sites listed below:

EAST BAY
Buttercream Bakery
Open M-Sa 9AM-5PM
Su 10AM-5PM
841 San Pablo Ave.
Albany, CA 94706

Office of County Supervisor John Gioia
11780 San Pablo Ave., Suite D
El Cerrito, CA 94530

West Contra Costa Unified School District
1108 Bissell Avenue
Richmond, CA 94801-3135

Richmond City Hall Lobby
450 Civic Center
Richmond, CA 94804

Richmond City Council Lobby
440 Civic Center
Richmond, CA 94804

Books for the Barrios Warehouse
Open M-F 9AM-5PM
2350 Whitman Road, Suite D
Concord, CA 94518

RE/MAX Accord Offices
Open M-F 9AM-5PM

Castro Valley
20980 Redwood Road, Suite 220
Castro Valley, CA 94546

Danville
313 Sycamore Valley Road West
Danville, CA 94526

Fremont
39644 Mission Blvd.
Fremont, CA 94539

Lafayette
3390 Mt. Diablo Boulevard
Lafayette, CA 94549

Livermore
1841 4th St # E
Livermore, CA 94550

Montclair
2070 Mountain Boulevard
Oakland, CA 94611

Pleasanton
5870 Stoneridge Mall Road
Pleasanton, CA 94588

San Ramon
350 Montgomery Street
San Ramon, CA 94583

Organizing for America Office
1714 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland, CA 94612

Uptown Body & Fender
401 26th Street
Oakland, CA 94612
Contact: Giovanna Tanzilla
510-251-8009

HJB HOSES AND FITTINGS, INC.
3660 Pacheco Blvd, Suite A
Martinez, CA 94553
*Romelyn Joson: (925) 229-HOSE
415-509-5109

PENINSULA
ABS-CBN Foundation
Open M-F 9AM-6PM
Issa Gelasio (650) 508.6118
150 Shoreline Dr.
Redwood City, CA 94065

Philgood Cuts
Open Tu-Sa 9AM-7PM
1027 South Airport Boulevard
South San Francisco, CA

Daly City / South San Francisco Pick Ups
Manufou Anoa’I 415.574.8423; sfliaiga@hotmail.com

Mink Bar
Open Wed-Sun 3PM-12MN
6192 Mission St.
Daly City, CA

SOLANO COUNTY
Jack & Linda’s Country Cafe
2390 North Texas Street,
Fairfield, CA 94533-2140

SAN FRANCISCO
Home of Fides Enriquez
To schedule a drop off ahead of time, send a note by email to fides@haranathemovie.com
131 Virginia Avenue (corner Lundys)
San Francisco, CA

My Boudoir
Open M-Sa 11AM-7PM
Closed on Tuesdays
2285 Union Street
San Francisco, CA 94123

Philippine Consulate
For weekends, leave with lobby security and mention “Tools 4 Schools”
447 Sutter St.
San Francisco, CA
Contact: Rose Narvaja (415) 433.6666

Office of Senator Leland Yee
Contact: Melissa Apuya
Hiram Johnson State Building
Open M-F 9AM-5PM
455 Golden Gate Avenue, Main Lobby
San Francisco, CA 94102

SAN JOSE
Café Pomegranate
Downtown San Jose, near San Jose State University & San Jose City Hall
221 E. San Fernando (Between Fourth & Sixth Streets)
San Jose, CA

Azucar Latin Bistro
71 E. San Fernando Street
San Jose, CA

Southside Community Center
5585 Cottle Road
San Jose, CA

The 18th floor Reception area @ San Jose City Hall
200 East Santa Clara Street
San Jose, CA 95113

$5, $10 goes a long way. Donate what you can here.

These schools are benefiting from your generous contributions:
1. ACE Charter School (East San Jose)
2. Barack Obama Academy (Oakland)
3. El Dorado Elementary School (San Francisco)
4. Futures Elementary School (Oakland)
5. George Washington Carver (San Francisco)
6. Greenleaf Elementary School (Oakland)
7. Junipero Serra Elementary School (San Francisco)
8. Mampurog Elementary School (Barrio School in Camarines Norte, Philippines)
9. Martin Elementary School (South San Francisco)
10. Nystrom Elementary School (Richmond)
11. Ohlone Elementary School (Hercules)

Event Chair: Bay Area Benefit

Honorary Host Committee:
Sen. Leland Yee, Assm. Jerry Hill, Consul-General Marciano Paynor, Jr., Hon. Bevan Dufty, Superintendent Dr. Howard Cohen, Hon. Joaquin Rivera, Hon. David Canepa, Hon. Ash Kalra, Hon. David Lim, Hon. Liza Normandy, Hon. Maurice Goodman, Hon. Tony Thurmond, Hon. Judy Bush, Hon. Kim-Shree Maufas, Hon. Igor Tregub

Host Committee:
Aimee Allison, Melissa Apuya, Gene Benavides, Don Daves-Rougeaux, Jaman Douglas, Fides Enriquez, Brigette Hunley, Jerl Laws, Mitzi Manzano, Navi Ganancial, Dan & Nancy Harrington, Elizabeth Jacob, Sherwin & Romielyn Joson, Mary Nicely, Geraldine Nuval, Michael Orange, Cory Randolf, Patti Rocha-Fernandez, Angela Rodriguez, Denny Roja, Gayle & Ceara Threets, Christine Velasquez, Ryan Wong,

Partner Organizations:
ABS-CBN Foundation, Buttercream, Citizen Hope, Mink Bar, My Boudoir, Samoan Parents in Action, San Francisco Education Fund, Top Ten Social

I have circled in with the offices of Cong. Jackie Speier, Assemblymember Jerry Hill and Senator Leland Yee who are at the site of the fire in San Bruno where around 58 homes were burned, 17 are critically injured and 4 have died.

There is currently NO need for donated goods and supplies (clothes, food and beddings) but after the initial assessment is made, I will send out an update.

In the meantime, here is how we can help the victims of the San Bruno fire:

1. DONATE BLOOD (Type O is urgently needed)

http://bloodcenters.ehclients.com/ or call 888.393.GIVE (4483)

2. DONATE MONEY

To donate to the Red Cross, go to here. Select “Your local Red Cross chapter” and enter Crestmoor Canyon San Bruno’s postal code, “94066.”

Red Cross can no longer accept other items. Kindly repost and let’s help San Bruno begin to heal and rebuild.

Board of Directors
Bay Area Benefit

Experience food and wine from the San Francisco Bay Area’s premiere restaurateurs and vintners and enjoy entertainment by Famed Jazz Guitarist Terence Brewer & DJ KingMost.

Black tie affair.

Come by. Glide unconditionally.

Host Committee:
Mike Kim, Alan Wells, Alexander Volberding, Christine Gage,` Christine Tayaba, Heather Pond, Keesa Ocampo, Matt Haney, Phillip Zackler

Sponsors ( Partial List )

2Nite Vodka – http://www.2nitevodka.com/
Bar Method – http://www.barmethod.com/
Anchor Brewing – http://www.anchorbrewing.com/
That Takes the Cake – http://that-takes-the-cake.com/
VuQo – http://www.vuqo.com/
CPK – http://www.cpk.com/
Aidells – http://www.aidells.com/
Mercury Lounge – http://mercurysf.com/
5A5 – http://www.5a5stk.com/
Jade Chocolates – http://www.jadechocolates.com/

ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Domestic violence can be defined as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.

Physical Abuse: Hitting, slapping, shoving, grabbing, pinching, biting, hair-pulling, biting, etc. Physical abuse also includes denying a partner medical care or forcing alcohol and/or drug use.

Sexual Abuse: Coercing or attempting to coerce any sexual contact or behavior without consent. Sexual abuse includes, but is certainly not limited to marital rape, attacks on sexual parts of the body, forcing sex after physical violence has occurred, or treating one in a sexually demeaning manner.

Emotional Abuse: Undermining an individual’s sense of self-worth and/or self-esteem. This may include, but is not limited to constant criticism, diminishing one’s abilities, name-calling, or damaging one’s relationship with his or her children.

Economic Abuse: Making or attempting to make an individual financially dependent by maintaining total control over financial resources, withholding one’s access to money, or forbidding one’s attendance at school or employment.

Psychological Abuse: Causing fear by intimidation; threatening physical harm to self, partner, children, or partner’s family or friends; destruction of pets and property; and forcing isolation from family, friends, or school and/or work.

Violence does not discriminate regardless of class, ability, age, education, immigration status, sexual orientation, and religion.

TICKETS: http://www.cityboxoffice.com or call 415.392.4400

$28 (balcony and dress circle), $58 (orchestra), $88 (VIP seats). 10% discount for 20 tix or more. $10 discount for students, Friends of FWN, V-Day cast/crew, FWN members.

Yes, that’s right.  You can eat and raise funds for KollaborationSF at the same time!

KollaborationSF is holding a fundraiser at Ichiban Restaurant in Berkeley. Bring your friends, family, coworkers to dine on Ichiban’s wide variety of Japanese cuisine anytime between February 26 and March 5!

After paying for your meal, drop your receipt in KollaborationSF’s designated box to contribute 15% of your meal towards our first annual show.

Ichiban Restaurant
2017 Shattuck Ave. (cross University) – google map
Berkeley, CA 94704
http://www.ichibanberkeley.com

Spread the word!  Invite folks to the Facebook event:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=296278499731

Tickets for the first annual show on April 10 at the Palace of Fine Arts are on sale now!

Visit http://www.kollaborationsf.org to purchase online.

Join Supervisors John Avalos, Sophie Maxwell, David Campos, Bevan Dufty, Sean Elsbernd, Chris Daly, Ross Mirkarimi, Carmen Chu, David Chiu, Michela Alioto-Pier and Eric Mar and open up your wallets in support of the people of Haiti.

Enjoy live music, fabulous drinks and hear from the Haiti Action Committee about what is happening on the ground. There’ll be a raffle with some exciting prizes and all proceeds will benefit the Haiti Emergency Relief Fund, which has been supporting grassroots, community-based organizations in Haiti for the past six years.

Suggested donation: $20.00

For more information, call 415-554-6975 or RSVP on Facebook.

Link to the event on Facebook

The Hope Flight Foundation will use the proceeds towards the “Wings of Hope” campaign. The goal of the campaign is to purchase a dedicated aircraft to expand their free air transportation for children with cancer and other life threatening conditions.

In 2009, the Hope Flight Foundation was able to fly ten children to medical facilities. Upon the success of the “Wings of Hope” campaign, the Hope Flight Foundation will be able to help over 100 children and 200 family members will receive medical care.

The mission of Hope Flight Foundation is to “reduce the financial burden on the family, and reduce the stress and pain of driving long distances, while increasing access to needed medical care” and to “bring joy to children through free air transportation to kids healthcare camps and make-a-wish flights.”

Hope Flight was founded and incorporated as a non-profit public benefit organization in California in October 2005, by pilot Douglas Harding. He saw a need for dependable free air transportation for children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses in need of medical treatment at facilities far from their homes. For more information about the Hope Flight Foundation and how you can help, please go to http://www.hopeflightfoundation.org.

A massive earthquake struck Haiti on Jan. 12 with some estimates putting the casualties at hundreds of thousands of lives. At the time of this post, Haiti officials are still trying to assess the extent of the devastation.

The Glide Foundation, in partnership with Bay Area Benefit, Citizen Hope, and A Good Idea invites supporters from the San Francisco Bay Area to an event to raise funds for the disaster victims in Haiti and for Glide on Saturday, January 30, from 9 p.m. at Nuit Blanche, 564 Market St, San Francisco.

Nuit Blanche, an exclusive penthouse in downtown San Francisco, will host this open bar event with tickets starting at $45 available at http://sfrecess.eventbrite.com.

Event will feature Legendary DJ KingMost, an open bar and hors ‘doevres.  The $45 ticket price is good until January 22 (only 65 of these tickets are available) and the price goes up to $60 on Jan. 23.

Join the event on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=273876462564.