WASHINGTON — Actress Sandra Bullock donated $1 million to The American Red Cross Wednesday to support relief efforts in Japan after last week’s tsunami and earthquake.
The number of dead and missing from the disaster has topped 15,000 with reports from remote coastal towns indicating the final toll could exceed official estimates. Thousands of Japanese have been left homeless without food and fear has spread of radiation poisoning from a damaged nuclear plant in northern Japan.
“The American Red Cross is extremely grateful for this generous support from Sandra Bullock and her family. This contribution is vitally important as the Red Cross works to provide critical assistance and essential relief items in this time of urgent need for so many people in Japan,” the organization said in a statement.
The Academy Award-winning actress has long been a supporter of the humanitarian organization.
She donated $1 million in 2001 to the group’s Liberty Disaster Relief Fund after the attacks on September 11, she gave $1 million in 2004 after the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami and she also donated $1million in 2010 after the Haiti earthquake.