In the face of disaster, there’s one organization out there that has consistently heeded the call of duty for more than thirty years. We’re referring to the humanitarian non-profit, Operation USA, our Charity Spotlight for this month. Headquartered in Culver City, CA, they help communities domestically and abroad by providing relief, reconstruction, development aid, and working with grassroots organizations on the ground. In light of the recent earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan, they chose Piryx to raise funds for the victims.

Operation USA was founded in 1979 by Richard Walden and Llewellyn Werner, and their first rescue and relief project was in the wake of the political turmoil in Vietnam and Cambodia. Since then, they’ve worked in 99 countries, and delivered over $350 million in relief and development projects. More recently, when the northeast region of Japan was rocked by a near record 9.0 magnitude earthquake, and the ensuing tsunami, Operation USA responded swiftly with aid. In particular, their relief efforts have been beneficial to victims in the areas of food, drinking water, and medical supplies.

Their heroic work has been internationally acclaimed, even winning a Nobel Prize peace prize in 1997 for their involvement in the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. You can learn more about their efforts and projects on their site. Please support their latest rescue mission for Japan Earthquake Relief