Make a Donation

Make a Donation

Contact Densho to Make Your Contribution

Dear Friends of Densho:

Help us keep the World War II Japanese American incarceration story alive by making a donation to Densho today. A donation preserves stories like how young college student Gordon Hirabayashi courageously challenged the government's incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, served prison time for his act of civil disobedience, and then received the Presidential Medal of Freedom 70 years later. Densho is collecting hundreds of these stories and using digital technology so they can be heard 20 years, 50 years, or 100 years in the future. Over the last 17 years we've created an organization and technology that is designed to "Capture Once, Use Many Times" the stories, photographs, and documents of the Japanese American experience during World War II. This investment has allowed over a million people to find, see, and engage with these materials, and perhaps more importantly, is designed to last many decades, reaching many more millions with little maintenance costs.

At Densho, you give your money through us, not to us, as we preserve and keep the story alive. Your donation goes directly to programs that have both short-term and long-term impact with our target audiences, and does not pay for fundraising specialists, maintaining and adding to buildings, or the personnel to keep the buildings open. For example:

A $100 donation adds 25 historic photographs and documents to our free website that is used by people in all 50 states and over 100 countries. These historic items will be easily seen and used for many years.
A $300 donation adds an article to the online Densho Encyclopedia of the Japanese American Incarceration Experience. This article will be used in the coming year by the hundreds of thousands of users of the Densho website, and by millions over the next decade.
A $1,000 donation recruits 10 teachers to Densho's teacher training workshops. After the workshops an average teacher will reach 100 students in a year, thousands over a career.

Every dollar donated before the end of the year will be tripled through matching grants from the National Park Service for us to digitize photographs and documents, expand the Densho Encyclopedia, and train teachers. Because of the match, please consider stretching yourself this year in your giving. If you are thinking you might give $50, think about $100. If you are thinking about $250, think about $500. If you are able to give $1,000, think about $2,000. 100% of your donation will go to programs, and its impact will be tripled with the NPS grants.

With warm regards,

Tom Ikeda
Founding Executive Director

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Densho relies on contributions from foundations, corporations, and generous individuals. Your donation is tax deductible (EIN 91-2164150).

Give Online

You may make a tax deductible gift to Densho online using a credit card by clicking on the Donate button below. Through the secure form at the JustGive.org website, it take only a few minutes, and you will receive immediate confirmation through email. You have the option of making your donation anonymously or in honor of another.

Contact Densho to Make Your Contribution

Send a Check or Pay with a Credit Card

To make your gift by mail, please print and fill out our contribution form and send it to us at Densho, 1416 South Jackson Street, Seattle, WA 98144. If you are unable to download and print the contribution form, please include with your check your mailing address, phone number and the name you wish to be credited for the donation.

Call or Email Us

To make a credit card donation by phone please call Virginia Yamada at (206) 320-0095. You can also write to her at virginia.yamada@densho.org to request more information. (For your protection, please do not email credit card information.)

Pledge a Donation

Pledging a contribution by installment is an excellent means of sustaining support. You can specify the length of the pledge period, frequency of payments, and method of payment to fit your situation.

Make a Tribute Gift

Mark a happy occasion such as a birth or commencement with a living tribute gift, or honor the life of a friend or family member with a memorial gift to Densho. Your contribution will live on to commemorate the person you designate.

Take Advantage of Employer Matching

Many companies encourage philanthropy by matching their employees' donations. Please check with your employer about its matching-gift guidelines. The power of your gift could be doubled.

Donate Stock

By contributing appreciated stocks or other assets, you can realize significant savings at tax time. To give a gift of stock, please contact Virginia Yamada at (206) 320-0095 or via email at virginia.yamada@densho.org.

Offer an In-Kind Gift

Gifts of goods and services help us carry out our work. We are indebted to professionals and community members who donate their skills. If you wish to donate services or items, please let us know.

Make a Deferred Gift

Please consider remembering Densho in your will. Your generosity will allow us to reach upcoming generations of young people.

Participate in an Event

Sponsorship, donation of goods and services, and attendance at Densho events present wonderful opportunities for education, corporate philanthropy, and community involvement.