The Goal of Second Harvest Japan
Second Harvest Japan aims at creation of Food Lifeline in Japan by providing food resources to those in need, such as children at orphanages, single mothers and/or disabled people at aid agencies, and other low-income households. Second Harvest Japan will create a community in which people without food security¹ can secure enough food resources, by cooperating with food providers.
History of 2HJ
2HJ started in 2000 as a joint activity among different soup-kitchens so that all the soup-kitchens could effectively collect food. In 2002, we formed Food Bank Japan (FBJ) and had it registered as a nonprofit organization. In 2004, FBJ changed its name to the current name, Second Harvest Japan. Second Harvest means to save the food that was not harvested in the first harvest (commercial market) but still good and safe for human consumptions for its second harvest. 2HJ gives this food that would otherwise go to waste a new life. Since its start-up in 2000, the number of corporations, farmers, individuals that donate food to us increased. At the same time, the number of charitable agencies that use our food resources increased as well. In 2010, 2HJ received food donations from about 650 companies and distributed them to about 500 charitable agencies all over Japan.
Thanks to people in our network that supports 2HJ’s activities, it is possible to transport food from food companies’ factories to the hands of those in need. Food banking is growing so rapidly in Japan. 2HJ would like you to join us to accomplish the great dream of expanding this cost-effective system to every town and village all over the country.