Neighbors Abroad and Palo Alto families originally scheduled to host Japanese exchange students starting this week are organizing a relief fund for Palo Alto’s sister city, Tsuchiura, Ibaraki, Japan, according to a statement released Sunday by Neighbors Abroad.

According the statement, those interested in contributing to the earthquake relief effort can send a check with “Japan Earthquake Relief Fund” in the memo line to Neighbors Abroad at P.O. Box 52004; Palo Alto, CA 94303.

Neighbors Abroad is the official sister city organization of Palo Alto.

Sixteen Japanese students were scheduled to arrive in Palo Alto yesterday as part of an exchange program directed by Keiko Nakajima, who teaches Japanese at both Jane Lathrop Stanford and Jordan middle schools. However, the trip was canceled after a devastating earthquake hit Japan Friday.

All questions should be directed to Nakajima at [email protected], the press release states.