Photo: Official U.S. Navy Imagery/Flickr

The photo above is of Sukuiso, Japan on March 18. At this point, not much more needs to be said. Frankly, in the face of such a meaningless and random show of nature’s overwhelming power, people seem very small and weak indeed – and anything else I could say seems empty.

Still, in the wake of horrible natural disasters, I am always amazed at how willing people are to do something – anything – to help others, even when they’re halfway around the world. Take bake sales. It’s a cliché, of course – but that’s because it works. Last year, a single bake sale raised $23,000 for Haiti relief efforts – an incredible feat, especially considering the modest price of all the flour and sugar and eggs that went into it.

This year, the same organizers are working to recreate that fundraising success with April 2 bake sales for Japan all across the country, including one in Jamaica Plain. Right now, they are looking for people to bake and volunteer their time; those who want to get involved should email bosbakesale@gmail.com.

Baking cookies is such a small and humble response to catastrophe, but think of it this way: by selling goods for more than their ingredients cost, you can multiply your donation by 10 or even more. Many baked goods can be made from ingredients already in your pantry – I’m sure these donut muffins would sell out quick, or maybe some homemade cake pops.

The cheaper, quicker and yummier your creations are, the more useful they are for fundraising purposes. But hey – if you’re really pressed for time, you could always help out by simply showing up on April 2 and buying some of the goods yourself. It’s such an ordinary response, until you stop to think about it. That a sweet tooth could help disaster victims – that truly is a strange and powerful thing.