Donation Information

I'll format this like a Frequently Asked Questions page, because that seems logical.

How much of my donation goes to the Red Cross?

-With the exception of the 6% that PayPal takes from every donation, 100% of ALL money donated will be given to the Red Cross either at selected intervals or at the end of the trip.

Isn't there a way to donate directly to the Red Cross to avoid any deduction?

-If you physically send money over to Japan, then all of the money you send will be entered into a Japanese bank account. Just ignore shipping costs and exchange rates. Actually, though, the Japanese Red Cross also uses PayPal to accept donations, so the same amount would be deducted. I am using my own PayPal account so I can monitor donations made in my name.
Call me silly, but I would like to know how successful or unsuccessful I was in fund raising!

Is my donation tax deductible?

Since you do receive a receipt from PayPal, and 100% of the donation will go to the Red Cross, I would imagine the donation is just as tax deductible as any donation.

How will I receive my gift for making a $10 or $20 donation?

PayPal informs me of your mailing address, so I will send it there. If you would like it sent to a different address, please email me at dylan.jacoby@gmail.com or leave a comment on the blog.

What do the stickers look like?

They are white, round, 3 inches in diameter and have the exact logo you see on my blog.

What's the deal with the 5 yen jewelry?

Unfortunately, since I will be riding a bicycle across Japan during the next few months, anyone making the $20 donation WILL NOT RECEIVE THAT GIFT UNTIL AFTER THE TRIP. However, I swear they will receive it as soon after the trip as humanly possible

As for the perks of donating (though, technically, the act should be the perk). Sadly, this only applies to anyone living in the continental United States.

$10 – You will receive a kickass sticker of the Sata to Soya Ride for the Red Cross. Feel free to place it anywhere...and tell your friends!

How neat is this!? Credit goes to Jeff Putt for making it (www.jeffputt.com)
$50 – You will receive a sticker AND a necklace/keychain/bracelet using a lucky Japanese 5 yen coin. The 5 yen coin is the only coin with NO roman numerals or English on it, it's gold (colored), it has a hole in it, and it is a traditional symbol of good luck. Here are some pictures!

Here is the front and back of the 5 yen coin itself
This is generally what the necklace will look like