When the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, calls flooded the office of the Japan/America Society of Kentucky in Lexington.

"We had a number of calls come in from folks asking what we know," said executive director Matt Krebs.

"We try to connect Japanese and American people here in Kentucky," said Krebs.

The non-profit organization helps Japanese companies interact with American suppliers - companies which employ about 40,000 Kentuckians. Companies which have brought around 3,000 Japanese residents to the Commonwealth, who left families behind that they now cannot reach.

"People are having a really hard time just getting a hold of someone," said Krebs.

Krebs visited Japan in 2009 with other members as part of a home exchange program.

"My host family that took care of me was gracious beyond description," said Krebs.

The small town where he had stayed in the Miyagi Prefecture was leveled during the tsunami. He hasn't heard from his host family.

"I still feel sick every time I think about it," said Krebs.

Krebs and others are keeping a watchful eye on a website that's been put online to keep track of which host families have been contacted, and are safe - and others who might not have made it.

One man reported on the site that he was safe, but many of his neighbors are missing.

"To consider that so much good, so many good people lost their lives in an instant," said Krebs, "the only thing I'm left to do is say, how can I help?"

The organization is now accepting donations for the relief effort on their website, at www.jask.org/donate.