Monday, January 21, 2008
What is a food drive and how can you be a part of one?
A “food drive” is a volunteer activity in which people bring unneeded extra food from their homes to their school or office, where it is collected and distributed to local charitable organizations, facilities, and food banks. Food drives have been run successfully since the 1960s in the United States, where they originated, but in Japan the concept of food drives remains unfamiliar to many.
Over the past few years, however, this has gradually begun to change and food drives at work and school have become more common. Curves Japan, which owns and operates the women’s fitness club chain “Curves,” ran a food drive campaign in November 2007 calling on members at all of its 600 locations across Japan to bring food in.
Requiring only that the items be unopened, non-perishable at room temperature, and with an expiration date of February 2008 or later, Curves reportedly collected about 50 tons of rice, coffee, tea, sweets, and other canned, dry, and instant food items. This was then distributed to 300 local child-care facilities, churches, and single-parent support organizations.
Curves Japan found that many of their contributing members had wished for a long time that they could offer some assistance to those around them in need, but had simply never seen or had an opportunity to do so before the food drive. As volunteer activities that are easy to participate in and offer a direct connection to the local community, food drives are surely only going to become more popular as time goes on and people in Japan become more familiar with the concept.
Second Harvest Japan (2HJ) is delighted to offer know-how and advice for organizations running food drives or who would like to host a food drive. Food drives of various kinds have already been run in the Japanese offices of many major multinational companies. One international IT firm’s Japan branch ran a “rice drive,” asking their employees to bring rice to the office. Another company launched a food drive after a 2HJ volunteer who worked there made the suggestion to management.
“We bought too much canned food on sale and I don’t think we can finish it…”
“Our family receives so many gifts of tea that we just can’t drink it all…”
...Are you sure there isn’t any extra food lying around like this in your kitchen too? Why wait for it to pass its expiration date and be thrown out when you could put it to good use in a food drive?
Writer: Etsuko Ohara
Photos: Curves Japan
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
TV program “Suteki na Uchusen Chikyu go” to feature 2HJ January 13, 2008!
2HJ will be the focus of a segment on the late-night TV program “Suteki na Uchusen Chikuyo” (Spaceship Earth). Watch the program on January 13!
Date: January 13
Time: 11:00 pm – 11:30 pm
Channel: 10 (TV Asahi)
Sunday, January 06, 2008
J-Wave radio show “Jam the World” to feature 2HJ January 9, 2008!
Two 2HJ representatives will be part of a live broadcast of the radio program “Jam the World.” Tune in to J-Wave on January 9 to listen to the program!
Date: January 9
Time: 8:50 pm - 9:20 pm (approx.)
Station: 81.3 FM
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Nu Skin Japan donates freezer/refrigerator vehicle!
This week 2HJ’s first freezer/refrigerator vehicle was delivered. The 1.5-ton vehicle, donated by sponsor Nu Skin Japan, will allow 2HJ to pick up a greater variety of frozen/chilled foods and provide them to those in need in Japan. A big thanks to Nu Skin Japan!
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Plat-du-jour Second Harvest Japan
Ever want to make lunch for a large number of people? How about 500? This photo story illustrates 2HJ’s “recipe” for a typical Saturday Ueno distribution.
Serves 500
What you’ll need
-72 cans clam chowder soup base
-11 boxes (220 bags) edamame
-24 kg rice
-Bread (as available)
-3 cases hashed potatoes
Extras (as available)
Juice
Japanese omelets
Vegetable sides
Did you know? Nearly all of the food distributed on Saturdays is donated. 2HJ purchases only essential items such as salt and rice as needed.
Prepare
Clam chowder
Empty cans into two equally sized pots
Add water, heat while stirring continuously. Add available vegetables (e.g., sliced onion, carrots)
Cover with saran wrap to transport
To make potato salad, boil hashed potatoes, strain water and let cool briefly
Add available vegetables, mayonnaise, and season to taste. Transfer to large plastic bags for transport
Divide donated pkgs of edamame in half, pack in plastic bags for distribution
Wash and cook 4 pots rice
Count bread, sort by size, and repack into large plastic bags for transport
Combine mushroom sauté in large pot, heat until ready to serve. Wrap to transport
Season vegetable side items (prepared by a dedicated crew every Friday)
Repack ramen (not pictured) in individual serving sizes
Cut Japanese omelets to serving size, pack for transport
Serve
Fill bowl with a portion of rice, potato salad, mushroom sauté, omelet, and vegetable sides. Repeat approximately 500 times. With the soup, bread, and other items, this special plat-du-jour is best served warm.
Did you notice the many hands in the pictures? Thanks to the helping hands of our volunteers, 2HJ is able to distribute this kind of meal nearly every Saturday of the year. To all those volunteers, a big “Thank You.”
By Pamela Ravasio
Link to News story »RSS
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