Bakers mobilize to raise funds for Japan

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A San Francisco-area baker is hoping to duplicate her recipe for success and host a nationwide Bakesale for Japan.

After raising a whopping $23,000 from baked goods alone last year to raise funds for earthquake-shattered Haiti, chef Samin Nosrat is taking the local bake sale idea across the US.

Nosrat has worked with Alice Waters of Chez Panisse fame. She's also a food writer for The Atlantic magazine and a cooking instructor in the San Francisco Bay area.

So far, professionals and amateurs in cities like Portland, Boston, Philadelphia, New York City and Austin have responded and will be hosting local bake sales simultaneously on April 2.

Northern neighbors in Toronto, Canada will also be hosting a Bakesale for Japan on April 10.

All proceeds will go towards Peace Winds Japan, a disaster relief foundation. The latest death toll from Japan's devastating 9.0-magnitude earthquake and the tsunami is estimated to be at 18,000.

Meanwhile, in addition to local, grassroots movements, more multinational corporations with locations in Japan have stepped up to the plate. McDonald's, which has 3,302 restaurants in the devastated country, said they would be donating $2 million to relief efforts through the International Federation of the Red Cross.

Starbucks will also be contributing $1.2 million.

For more details on how to volunteer and contribute, or start your own local bakesale, email bakesaleforjapan@gmail.com .

More details about participating venues: http://ciaosamin.blogspot.com/