On March 11, a record 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck near the Japanese city of Sendai. It generated a powerful 32 foot tsunami which struck northern Japan, surged a quarter mile inland and caused widespread destruction to coastal areas and communities. High magnitude aftershocks continue to hit the area. There was also damage to area nuclear power plants, causing a third emergency, the threat of nuclear radiation exposure.

This level of devastation in Japan stunned and saddened our global community. The immediate rescue and relief needs are overwhelming. We would like to provide you with some basic information on our response and knowledge.

ITW's Corporate Response:

The ITW Foundation has made a $250,000 contribution to the Red Cross Japan Earthquake & Pacific Tsunami Fund to support these efforts. In addition, the ITW Foundation stands ready to support your contributions as well through the 3 to 1 Matching Gift Program.

Matching Gift for Eligible Employee and Retiree Giving:

You can contribute to a qualified charity of your choice. If you would like to contribute directly to the Red Cross - Japan Earthquake & Pacific Tsunami Fund you can do so on line at http://www.redcross.org. Once on the Red Cross site, you will see links to the Japan Earthquake and can make a donation right on the homepage. And just as a reminder to access your matching gift benefit please use the ITW Employee Portal, http://www.itwemployee.com; once you log on, you'll see a link on the right side of the screen for matching gift to log on. If you are a first time user of this system you can log on with your employee ID number and your default password will be the first initial of your first and last name,(lower case) followed by a dash (-) and the first 5 digits of your Social Security Number: ex. jg-12345.

Resource for Finding Loved Ones:

In close collaboration with the Japanese Red Cross, the ICRC has launched a special Family Links website to help people seeking to re-establish contact with family members and friends.

People in Japan and abroad can register on the website to inform their family and friends that they are safe and provide their current contact details, while those looking for people can check the list for information. They can also register the names of family members and friends, encouraging them to get in touch. The website is http://www.icrc.org/familylinks.