Concerned for their counterparts at the Natural American Spirit offices in Japan, employees of the Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. wanted to make sure the American Red Cross had enough money to provide aid to Japan's earthquake and tsunami victims.

A few weeks ago, Nick Bumbacco, president of Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co., handed over a $50,000 check to Scott Reynolds, board chairman of Red Cross of Santa Fe.

Bumbacco said that since he's been with Santa Fe Natural Tobacco, he's developed a good "working relationship" with the American Red Cross' Santa Fe branch, donating money whenever there is a crisis — such as this winter's natural-gas shortages throughout New Mexico.

When Bumbacco and the Santa Fe staff got word from a company executive in Tokyo about what had happened in Japan, Bumbacco immediately wanted to do something to help the company's
40 Japanese employees.

"We try to support where we can, and in this instance, it's even more important from our standpoint," Bumbacco said. "One of the core tenets of this organization is our engagement and involvement with our community — and also the people of the company are absolutely important for this organization."

Bill Morachnick, vice president and managing director of SFR International, the umbrella company for both Natural American Spirit and the Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co., lives in Tokyo. He has traveled around the country and has seen the effects of the disasters.

"The only thing I can compare it to is the U.S. after 9/11," Morachnick said. "There is just this solemn mood. People are still in a state of shock."

"We're very fortunate that nobody in the company and their direct relatives were physically impacted," Bumbacco said. "Emotionally, that's a very different story."

The company's offices in Germany and Switzerland made a video to boost morale among the employees in Japan. The video was message of support, letting the Japanese know that their foreign colleagues would help in any way they could. The German and Swiss workers also sent food, flashlights and other necessities to the Japanese employees and other people in the area, Bumbacco said.

The team from Santa Fe also put together gift baskets, which included green chile. The unfamiliar product baffled some of the people in Japan, Morachnick said.

"(The employees) were showing me all these things and they were so happy," Morachnick said. "Someone pulled out a bag and said, 'What is this?' And they were green chiles. They were like, 'What do you do with these?' But our staff was so touched."

Kathy Segura, branch director of the Red Cross in Santa Fe, and Reynolds are both grateful for the local company's donation.

"Companies like yours that step up in a time of need is what makes it happen," Reynolds said, adding that the Red Cross does not get any financial support from the government.

"We are totally driven by the contributions and the thoughts and prayers of those who give to us, and with the disaster in Japan, like other disasters, it is significant and it is horrific, and the cost in human lives is enormous."

"We've seen a lot of money roll in from the community for Japan and for the tornadoes, and it's just amazing," Segura said. "We're just glad to be able to be part of that."

"We know the money won't go directly to our people, but it's the cause we support," Bumbacco said, adding he would like people to continue to help the people of Japan. "Just because the media stops covering it doesn't mean it's ended."

For more information on how to donate, call 424-1611.

Contact Ana Maria Trujillo at 986-3084 or atrujillo@sfnewmexican.com.