LIVES Kitchen - Get involved today
■ If you would like to support the LIVES Food Truck financially, please visit the Hands On Tokyo website page below. Please indicate "LIVES Food Truck Project" on the donation application form (Donation to be directed to…).
LIVES Food Truck Project
"LIVES KITCHEN"
Our Project's Renewal, and 5th Anniversary!
Get involved today and help us move forward!
The LIVES Food Truck Project, which has been a popular lunch destination in Tokyo since 2018, is dedicated to "work, eat, and laugh" for people with disabilities. The purpose of the LIVES Food Truck, where staff and volunteers with disabilities enjoy working together, is to convey the importance of building deep human relationships with each other, regardless of disability, and to contribute to raising social awareness to create a working and living environment that is inclusive of everyone. For the staff working here, it is also a place where they can take the next step toward employment. This year, as we celebrate the 5th anniversary of our activities, we are renewing our project with the hope of spreading this initiative to an even greater number of people.
The LIVES Project began as a way to address the challenges of the Special Needs community.
Challenges that came to light through Hands On Tokyo's activities.
Hands On Tokyo was founded in December 2006 by Deva Hirsch, who came to Japan with a desire to contribute to the community in which she lived and worked beyond the boundaries of nationality, and was joined by other non-Japanese living in Japan, and Japanese who shared her ideas. In 2009, we were certified as a "Nonprofit Organization (NPO)." In 2017, we were certified by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as a "Approved Specified Nonprofit Corporation" with higher public interest.
Even after becoming a nonprofit organization, our mission has remained unchanged. Hands on Tokyo works with a variety of organizations that support people with disabilities, non-profit organizations, social welfare organizations, educational institutions, and medical institutions to plan and provide volunteer opportunities that meet the needs of the local community.
While talking to disabled people and their families, we have come to understand that it is a challenging environment for them. That they are not able to fully integrate into Japanese society, is something that needs to be addressed, with understanding and compassion.
Work, Eat, Laugh
LIVES Project
We work every day, we eat every day, we laugh every day. We take these things for granted in our daily lives. However, there are many people who cannot do the things we take for granted. Hands On Tokyo hopes to create a society where each person's individuality shines through, and where everyone works together, eats together, and laughs together. In 2017, Hands On Tokyo launched the "LIVES Project" with the theme of "work, eat, and laugh" for people with disabilities, hoping to create such a society.
https://hataraku-taberu-warau.jp/
One of the LIVES activities, the Food Truck project, started in 2018. Staff with disabilities, with the support of energetic volunteers, serve lunch four times a week at various businesses and universities.
New "LIVES Kitchen
debuting at "LIVES TOKYO" on September 23rd
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the LIVES Food Truck program. Thanks to your generous support, we consistently sell out the boxed lunches that are prepared. Additionally, we often receive requests from our supporters to sell more lunches, and to open other locations near their workplace. However, the used vehicle we purchased at the beginning of the project has reached the limit of what it can achieve.
Coinciding with the renewal of our project, and a new collaboration with DEAN & DELUCA, Hands On Tokyo has decided to start a fundraising event to help achieve the goal of purchasing a new Food Truck. This new Food Truck will allow us to more fully serve our community, and to provide better service to our customers.
For this new project, we have welcomed a new partner, DEAN & DELUCA, a global food boutique, and will be working with Kakewa, a student-led joint venture for agriculture x welfare collaboration. With the LIVES food truck as a starting point, we aim to be a positive step forward, creating new value and change, by bringing together farmers, students, cooks, chefs and people from diverse backgrounds with the vision of creating an inclusive society. The "LIVES Kitchen" LIVES food truck, which has evolved with your support, will make its debut at the "LIVES TOKYO" event, to be held in Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi on Saturday, September 23rd!
DEAN & DELUCA, a select store for food from around the world, is in charge of product planning and production. Collaboration with LIVES Kitchen to employ people with disabilities in stores and kitchens.
Chef Yonezawa, No Code Chef Kakegawa, Ata
Chef Akiyama, DEAN & DELUCA Chef Sato, Cristiano's
DEAN & DELUCA, which aims to be a food platform, and "Chef's Gathering Box," a valuable and delicious lunch box, created by restaurant chefs from various genres.
Kakewa, a student-run joint venture for collaboration between agriculture and welfare, is in charge of logistics. It also serves as a liaison between LIVES Kitchen and universities, such as Showa Women's University and Meiji University.
LIVES Food Truck Renewal Image
Donation Requests / Purpose of Use of Funds
Your donations will be used to renew and upgrade the program name, the design of the truck, and the truck itself(6.8 million yen), which is now over ten years old. The donations will also be used to expand the use of the truck, to reach more people and places, and to continue the truck’s use well into the future.
Accomplishments
Here are the voices from our Staff members, Haruka and Riho:
★Message from Haruka(movie)
Haruka: From the first time I started working for LIVES Food Truck, I became good friends with other staff and volunteers. I also got to know many non-Japanese friends, which was a great experience for me. I am having fun working for the food truck!!
Riho: As a starting member of the food truck, I have been working for LIVES Food Truck from 2018; first as a volunteer, and now as a part timer. It is fun to get to know people, and to work with many different people. It is also fun to try cooking various recipes. I want to work for a food related company in the future!!
Main Locations
Every Tuesday: In front of Kawada Construction (Kita-ku, Tokyo)
Every Wednesday: On the campus of Showa Women's University (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo)
Every Thursday: In front of Toranomon Hills, Shintora-dori (Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Every Friday: On the campus of Meiji University (Suginami-ku, Tokyo)
The future of LIVES Kitchen
By renewing our truck, and increasing the number of products we offer, we will be able to expand the number of locations where we can offer our service. In this way, we can provide more opportunities for people with disabilities to take the next step toward employment, continue to contribute to the creation of new jobs, and raise public awareness about the employment of people with disabilities.
The individuality of each person shines through, with everyone working together, eating together, and laughing together. Your generous support will be a big step towards a more inclusive society.
Please support LIVES Kitchen in connecting local communities through “eating together.”
Get involved today
If you would like to support the LIVES Food Truck financially, please visit the Hands On Tokyo website page below. Please indicate "LIVES Food Truck Project" on the donation application form (Donation to be directed to…).
Hands On Tokyo was approved by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as an "Approved Specified Nonprofit Corporation" in December 2017. Donations for Hands On Tokyo are Japanese Yen tax deductible. For more information, please go to the "DONATE TODAY" page.
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【About Hands On Tokyo】
Hands On Tokyo, an "Approved Specified Nonprofit Corporation," is a volunteer organization founded in 2006 through international exchange. Our mission is to provide meaningful volunteer opportunities to foster volunteerism, and develop leaders to serve the needs of our community. We aim for a society where each individual is valued, and where people proactively support each other.
■ If you would like to support the LIVES Food Truck financially, please visit the Hands On Tokyo website page below. Please indicate "LIVES Food Truck Project" on the donation application form (Donation to be directed to…).