Monday, April 23, 2007
Harvest News: Spring 2007 Issue
Harvest News, Second Harvest Japan’s newsletter, contains stories and information related to 2HJ and food banking in Japan. Download this color version to share with friends, family, and coworkers!
Contents for the 2007 spring issue include:
-5th anniversary message from Executive Director
-Sponsor focus on Nu Skin Japan
-Food donor/volunteer focus on food drives
-Pointers for running a food drive
Click to view Harvest News 2007 Spring [PDF: 330 KB]
Link to News story »Friday, April 06, 2007
Food drives feed Harvest Pantry
Every week, Second Harvest Japan’s Harvest Pantry feeds close to 100 individuals, including 47 children. The majority of critically needed non-perishable foods come to us through food drives held by schools, businesses, and associations. With over 650,000 people in Japan lacking food security, food drives—no matter how big or how small—play an important role in helping to alleviate hunger.
Mark Valens, an English teacher at the Tokyo Korean School, helped to organize a food drive with his students, grades one through six. Approximately 450 students participated in the five-day drive. To motivate and build enthusiasm, the teachers put forth a challenge. If the students collected over 500 items, the teachers would sing a Japanese song in front of the student body. If the school fell short of the target, the sixth grade students would have to sing an English song on stage.
In the end, the students collected over 1,100 items and “everyone involved with the food drive agreed that it was a great success,” said Valens. “Donating food showed students how they could make a difference in people’s lives as well as educated them about the fact that many people go to bed hungry each night, even in a wealthy developed country.” Most of the teachers also spoke about the need some have for food and why they felt it was important to help others.
Many food drives are organized around World Food Day (October 16), which was established in 1979 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to increase international awareness of the issues behind hunger and poverty around the world. World Food Day is an excellent occasion to run a food drive for 2HJ and help spread awareness about hunger in Japan.
But since hunger is a year-round problem, there’s no need to wait until autumn to plan a food drive. See below for some pointers for organizing a food drive and contact 2HJ today to get started!
Be sure to contact Harvest Pantry Coordinator Michelle Ryan before you start collecting food.
Download this printer-friendly PDF of the above pointers.
Writer: Michelle Ryan
Link to News story »Friday, March 16, 2007
TV program “The Dawn of Gaia” to feature 2HJ
TV Tokyo’s “The Dawn of Gaia” will feature a segment on Second Harvest Japan. The program is planned to focus on 2HJ’s activities here in Japan as well as the situation of food banking in America.
Date: March 27
Time: 22:00
Channel: 12 (TV Tokyo)
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Nu Skin Japan Shares Time and Money
“I first heard of Second Harvest Japan about three years ago when I was having a meal at Fujimamas restaurant,” recalls Robert S. Conlee, president of Nu Skin Japan, part of an international company specializing in personal care products and nutritional supplements. In 2004, Fujimamas—a long-time 2HJ supporter—was giving patrons a little meal-time education with chopstick wrappers featuring information about hunger in Japan and 2HJ. “I thought, ‘What a great idea!’ I took my wrapper with me and looked at it from time to time as it sat on my desk. So I was already familiar with 2HJ when I met Charles [McJilton, 2HJ Executive Director] while doing a service project with my kids through the American School in Japan.”
“Our social contribution activities focus on creating a better world for children, and 2HJ fits that profile well,” said Conlee one Saturday afternoon in Ueno Park after lending a hand at the soup kitchen with some colleagues. He noted the majority of 2HJ’s food goes to women’s shelters, orphanages, and families, with only around 20 percent going to the homeless. “2HJ is one of three groups we work with here, the other major one being Hokkaido University for research on a genetically-transmitted skin disorder that afflicts children,” explained Conlee.
“Being involved with Nu Skin, I’ve come to feel that charitable activities are part of daily life,” says Nu Skin Japan’s Mika Yamada, who coordinates the company’s relations with 2HJ and has volunteered several times. “That’s because such a great number of the people I deal with are making sincere efforts every day to practice the ‘Force for Good’ philosophy of enriching the lives of people connected to our company and its products.” Nu Skin Japan’s Force for Good Fund recently provided 2HJ a grant of 18 million yen (monthly 1.5 million yen).
In addition to making financial contributions, employees and distributors are encouraged to contribute their time to help 2HJ provide food to those who need it in Japan. After helping to serve over 500 meals one Saturday in February, Courtland Pearson, another Nu Skin Japan volunteer, said the experience “makes you feel grateful for people who care, and makes you realize the world needs more people who care.” Companies like Nu Skin Japan make a positive impact in their communities. As Yamada says, every contribution is important: “Each person has only a limited power, but when you combine that power, you can make a big difference. Since learning about Second Harvest Japan’s activities, I feel that just by knowing the current situation, you can make the first step.”
A group from Nu Skin Japan provided service with a smile for Ueno Park distribution. “Even though I live in Tokyo, this was the first time I’ve done something like this. It was a great experience,” said Akemi Yoshida, a Nu Skin Japan distributor.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
2HJ sits in on MAFF public meeting related to destruction of surplus produce
On February 15 2007, Second Harvest Japan Executive Director Charles McJilton and Resource Coordinator Yusuke Wada observed a public meeting on the destruction of surplus produce. Overproduction and subsequent destruction this harvest season of Chinese cabbage and daikon has been met with national debate over the waste of this produce. At the meeting, an exploratory committee formed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries discussed opinions on the problem from various viewpoints of consumers and producers. The Ministry is soliciting ideas from the private sector, so 2HJ is planning to recommend food banking as a way of putting the surplus to good use rather than destroying it.
2HJ uses about 20 heads of Chinese cabbage weekly to make pickles for distribution in Ueno Park. MAFF reports that 22,000 tons of cabbage, Chinese cabbage, and daikon have been destroyed since last fall.
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