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MVA joins Japanese group in handing out relief aid
People line up to receive giveaways from the Japanese community and Marianas Visitors Authority at the San Antonio basketball court last Saturday afternoon.
(Contributed Photo)
The Marianas Visitors Authority joined the Japanese community for another round of typhoon relief operations last Saturday afternoon, giving away Saipanda backpacks and food items at the basketball court in San Antonio.
The children’s eyes lit up after each one got a Saipanda backpack, while the adults were pleased with the free Spam sushi, a local favorite, and other items.
The group distributed 500 Spam sushis provided by Furusato Restaurant, 200 bottles of water from H-Mart, 200 Saipanda backpacks from the MVA, and ramen noodles from Come Back Smile Saipan, or CBS Saipan, a group of Japanese residents on Saipan that has coalesced to provide community support after Super Typhoon Yutu hit Saipan and Tinian.
CBS Saipan had a Facebook page that they will update weekly on when their next relief drives are happening.
MVA managing director Christopher A. Concepcion extended his gratitude to Furusato Restaurant, H-Mart, and the whole CBS Saipan group “for their generosity and support of our local community.”
“We thank the Japanese community for coming out like this in solidarity with the people of the CNMI. We are grateful,” he said.
Last Nov. 3, Japanese nationals who have lived on Saipan for decades came together with their families to provide relief and fun to the community by making and distributing 4,000 pieces of castella balls, popularly known in Japan as baby castella, in the soccer pitch parking lot in Koblerville.
