San Diego Social Venture Partners collects community donations for Japan earthquake relief.

SAN DIEGO (March 14, 2011) – On the heels of Friday's mammoth 8.9 magnitude earthquake off Japan's northeastern coast, a local nonprofit, San Diego Social Venture Partners, is partnering with its team in Tokyo to collect and distribute relief funds. "San Diegans are no strangers to the devastating power of earthquakes," says Peggy Kidd, Executive Director of San Diego Social Venture Partners "so it's natural they'd want to do their part to help in this time of need. The challenge is knowing the best way to give."

San Diego Social Venture Partners (SDSVP) is a chapter of Social Venture Partners International, a network of engaged philanthropists who give of their time and business expertise to build more effective nonprofit organizations throughout North America and Tokyo.

SDSVP will collaborate with its Tokyo affiliate to ensure donations collected here are distributed to organizations taking a lead role in helping Japan's people and towns rebuild.

Weekend reports say the death toll from Japan's massive earthquake and the resulting tsunami could top 1,800 and entire cities have been destroyed.

There is also growing concern about potential danger from a damaged nuclear plant.

The Social Venture Partners team on the ground in Tokyo reports that the public railway system is rapidly recovering, though the full impact in the area closest to the quake is still unclear.

People are helping each other, though there is concern over the impact of repeated exposure to video of the devastation, especially on children. Efforts to calm the situation, involving many non-government/non-profit organizations, are underway.

Social Venture Partners unique leveraged model of giving time and expertise alongside money means donations sent through San Diego Social Venture Partners to Tokyo have the potential to be worth many times the dollar amount contributed.

In San Diego last year, donations made through San Diego Social Venture Partners were valued at a leverage of 11 to 1.

Peggy Kidd continues "One of the concerns people have when donating overseas is their ability to monitor the effectiveness of the organizations they give to.

Our Partners in Tokyo know the community, and will make sure monies are used where they're most needed."

To donate to Tokyo earthquake relief through San Diego Social Venture Partners or to learn more about the organization, visit http://www.sdsvp.org/.

ABOUT SAN DIEGO SOCIAL VENTURE PARTNERS (SDSVP)
Established in 2001, San Diego Social Venture Partners is a nonprofit organization of professionals who invest time and money in innovative nonprofits in San Diego County while becoming more educated and involved givers. Recent Investees include A Reason to Survive, Audeo Charter School, ElderHelp of San Diego, Reality Changers and the Tariq Khamisa Foundation. To learn more about SDSVP, call (858) 724-6065 or visit http://www.sdsvp.org/.

Meet Partner, Tuck Forsyth!

Tuck Forsyth learned of San Diego Social Venture Partners through SDSVP Partner and friend, Jan Thompson. He had been doing a good deal of travel, and welcomed the chance to deepen his connections in San Diego through SDSVP.

For some time, Tuck has contributed to nonprofits, but was frustrated because of a lack of clarity about the impact of his efforts. SDSVP has provided a way to answer this question, as well as to connect him with people who share this desire to invest with impact. Tuck admits, before SDSVP he'd been a "sucker for a phone call," and wanted more control over where his money was going thus his redirecting funds to SDSVP.

Tuck has a heart for military service members, and is especially happy to join SDSVP’s Investment Working Group this year with a focus area of military and military family support. He says his experience in the career transition arena could serve returning veterans well, as they seek opportunities in the civilian workforce.

Tuck is phasing down his 20 year career with Lee Hecht Harrison, and knows that as he spends less time at the office, he'll put his sales skills to good use as a champion for the nonprofits that SDSVP serves. Already he's been exposed to Investees such as Reality Changers, Second Chance and Community Resource Center. He welcomes the chance to put his persuasive abilities to work for SDSVP, too, as he serves as a valuable member of the Expansion Committee, working to grow and strengthen the Partnership.

He's convinced the Social Venture Partners model makes sense, and says the people he's met have been a "super, high-quality" group of folks, and he's particularly enjoyed the connections made through smaller working groups.

Though he's new to SDSVP, the realities of nonprofit work are familiar, as Tuck's son Hunter works in development.

Tuck is active in his church, and is just back from a solo trek to Hawaii. He's open to finding a travel partner for his next adventure.