JWLI-JCIE/USA COVID-19 JOINT PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVE

2020–Present

JCIE/USA has partnered with the Japanese Women’s Leadership Initiative and the Fish Family Foundation to facilitate small grants to nonprofit organizations in Japan to help them respond to the needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. These organizations work with vulnerable groups such as refugees, single mothers, and at-risk youth, who have all been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will allow them to carry out their activities to support these populations.

GRANTEES

BOND Project – $1,250
Bond Project works with at-risk girls, who are homeless or facing other difficulties, including poverty, addiction, abuse, or challenges at school and in the family. This grant is for a program to provide essential items (food, rice, toiletries, masks, disinfecting products, etc.) and masks to girls and women, who are currently unable to shift to remote work.

Japan Association for Refugees (JAR) – $1,250
JAR assists refugees in Japan, from helping them through the legal process of applying for refugee status to supporting them in the pursuit of economic independence. The program will allow them to meet the increased demand for their service providing essential items to refugees in Japan (food, rice, toiletries, masks, disinfectants, etc.).

Outreach Nagoya – $1,250
Outreach Nagoya connects hikikomori, recluses who confine themselves home for years unemployed, with remote work opportunities. The grant will cover material costs for Outreach Nagoya’s program participants to make masks to donate to shelters.

RERA – $1,250
Since the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake, RERA has been supporting elderly people and people with disabilities in the Ishinomaki Area by providing transportation to lifeline locations, such as grocery stores and hospitals. The grant will allow them to meet the increased demand for transportation.

Sendai Kodomo Shokudo – $2,500
Kodomo Shokudo runs eateries that provide meals to children and their families in need, as a way to tackle issues of poverty and other social challenges in the Sendai area. This grant will allow them to provide meals to single-parent families and their children in the region.

Viva! Okazaki $2,500
Viva Okazaki!! assists immigrant residents in the Nagoya area (mostly employees of Toyota car factories) by providing information essential for living in Japan, organizing cultural exchange events in local communities, and running Japanese language classes for both immigrants and their children. With an increased demand for multilingual information on COVID19, the grant will fund interpreters (Portuguese, Chinese, English, Tagalog, Vietnamese) and cover the costs of hosting a legal consultation day.

Yuzuriha $2,500
Yuzuriha supports young adults (aged 18–26) who have aged out of foster care or group homes. Although they are out of the protective system for children, it is difficult for them to live independently as they often face a disproportionately high number of obstacles as a result of their upbringing. The grant will allow them to provide essential items (food, rice, toiletries, masks, disinfecting products, etc.), to their target population.

DPI Women’s Network Japan – $2,500

DPI Women’s Network Japan empowers women with disabilities to address various challenges. The grant will allow them to build an IT system to assist with online meetings and events and to develop trainings for those not yet familiar with online platforms.

End of Life Care Association Japan – $2,500

End-of-Life Care Association of Japan’s mission is to create a community in which to both build awareness and bring peace of mind to all ages who suffer illness or other critical issues. ELC’s educational programs and workshops empower people in difficulty and their supporters through understanding and sharing of their feelings. The grant will allow them to further carry out online-based workshops and educational programs during the ongoing pandemic.

Josanshi Online – $2,500

Josanshi (midwife) Online supports women through their pregnancy and after childbirth by providing classes and consultations online.  The grant will allow them to meet the increased demand for their services to support the mental and physical wellbeing of women.

Kameoka Human Right Center – $2,500

Kameoka Human Right Center has been tackling various social issues in local communities in Kyoto, such as poverty, discrimination, domestic violence and child abuse. The programs support minority groups, single parents, social recluses, victims of violence, and children who are facing these challenges.  The grant will cover the costs of lunches and groceries that are safe for families with food allergies.

Lighthouse – $2,500

Lighthouse supports victims of human trafficking and sexual abuses through a variety of activities such as operating hotlines and educating the general public and policy makers.  This grant will allow their staff to set up telephone hotlines at home so that they can provide their services while working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Madre Bonita – $2,500

Madre Bonita supports both the physical and mental wellbeing of mothers through fitness classes specifically designed for women during pregnancy and after childbirth. With the grant, they will improve their operations and programs to meet with new demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recovery – $2,500

NPO Recovery helps women who have faced challenges in life, including addiction and mental health and other illnesses, get back on their feet. The grant will allow NPO Recovery to provide boxed meals for children from financially challenged families. Program participants secure work through preparing meals at NPO’s Recovery café.

Support Center HOPE – $2,500

Support Center HOPE runs after-school care programs and food banks in the Ishigaki area in Okinawa, to help families, especially single parents, who face financial and other challenges.  The grant will cover their operation costs and allow them to continue providing meals to children and their parents.

 Switch Sendai – $2,500

Switch Sendai supports youth who face mental health challenges by providing consultations and training to assist them with finding work and going back to school.  The grant will help them to expand their online-based activities to support those fighting mental health issues.

Women’s Net Kobe – $2,500

Women’s Net Kobe assists victims and survivors of domestic violence and women who face other difficulties in their lives through telephone consultations, operating shelters, and running a safe place for women and children. The grant will allow them to provide essential supplies, such as diapers, masks and food, as well as phone consultations to expand their support to a wider community.

Working Mothers Association of Japan – $2,500

Working mothers Association of Japan supports working mothers by providing training, seminars, and other programs focused on career and leadership development. The grant will help them to move some of their educational events to online platforms allowing them to reach out to children and mothers who face financial and other challenges.

Yuuyake Kodomo Shokudo – $2,500

Yuuyake Kodomo Shokudo supports local families who face financial and other social challenges by providing free meals to children and their families at a low cost.  The grant will allow them to provide prepared meals, snacks, and groceries for families who face burdens due the lack of school lunches following school closures.