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Para Japón Con Amor



Manuel Rojas (center), owner of El Tepeyac Café, is joined by members of the Fukumoto family and volunteers from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California at a fundraiser held on Tuesday at his restaurant in Boyle Heights. Employees donated their time and full food sales were also donated to UNICEF relief efforts in Japan. (MARIO G. REYES/Rafu Shimpo)




After a day of long lines and plenty of food, El Tepeyac Cafe in Boyle Heights a raised little over $11,000 for relief efforts in Japan on March 29.

The fundraiser was heavily publicized throughout the internet, as well as in the Japanese American community.

Prior to World War II, many Japanese Americans made their homes in the neighborhood and some patronized El Tepeyac Cafe on a regular basis, continuing their support even after the community scattered.

“It was a nice day,” said co-owner Joey Duran. “We had a great lunch, a great dinner, and (the amount) was pretty good for a little bitty restaurant on one day of work.”

The total is composed of the food sales for the day, as well as a collection box at the restaurant that was maintained by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California. The donations were given to the Japanese Chamber of Commerce to benefit UNICEF on Friday.

— SAMANTHA MASUNAGA