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Thanks to supporters like you, 2010 was a very successful year for Hands On Tokyo.
We exceeded our goals and expanded our services to people in need because of the generosity and commitment of people like you. We arranged over 230 volunteer activities with 2,000 volunteers, and gave back 4,200 volunteer hours to 6,000 recipients in the community this year. With the launch of our new website and rollout of new projects, we have been able to recruit more volunteers, increase our total registered volunteers to 2,000, and increase the number of regular volunteer projects to 20.
Hands On Tokyo has mainly organized easy-to-access volunteer opportunities to date. However, our volunteers have begun to ask for more committed volunteer opportunities where they can establish a deeper relationship with the people they serve. As a result, for the upcoming year, Hands On Tokyo plans to offer a range of volunteer programs not only in terms of the breadth of causes and NPO partners we support through our activities, but also in terms of the breadth of the depth of the volunteers' commitment and time to a particular volunteer activity or activities.
It is our privilege to continue developing programs that meet the needs of the community, our sponsors, and those of our volunteers.
In terms of funding, we continue to be supported by many generous companies and individuals in a difficult fundraising environment. Our annual fundraising event, the Taste For Volunteering will be held on February 4, 2011 and we hope that you will be able to join us at the Capitol Hotel Tokyu. We have updated our corporate program and welcome the opportunity to meet with you to see how Hands On Tokyo might be able to support you in your community service goals in 2011.
It has truly been an honor and a pleasure to volunteer alongside you this year.
We wish you the best during the holiday season and a prosperous 2011!
Lastly, we would like to inform you of our holiday office hours. Our office will be closed from December 30th - January 4th. We look forward to volunteering with you again next year. |
Corporate Highlight: Nihon Waters K.K |
(Written by Nihon Waters K.K)
Customer Success is Our Mission.
 Waters creates business advantages for laboratory-dependent organizations by delivering practical and sustainable scientific innovation to enable significant advancements in such areas as healthcare delivery, environmental management, food safety, and water quality worldwide. Bringing keen understanding and deep experience to those responsible for laboratory infrastructure and performance, Waters helps customers make profound discoveries, optimize lab operations. Pioneering a connected portfolio of separation and analytical science, laboratory informatics, and mass spectrometry, Waters' technology breakthroughs and laboratory solutions provide an enduring platform for customer success. Waters participates worldwide with industries and governments addressing environmental and food safety concerns. We have developed and published a method that allows scientist to test a food sample for 402 different pesticides in a single 10 minutes experiment. This is an example of how Waters works in collaboration with customers to address the world's most pressing environmental and food safety issues. Waters places a high importance on supporting global charitable efforts to further improve the quality of life in the communities where we work and live. Hands On Tokyo is an international affiliate of a very large volunteer network, and their volunteer programs give us an opportunity to support children, educational, and environmental needs in our community. Improving the quality of our community by supporting the development of science and improving the quality of healthcare are our social responsibility. These are also core values of Waters, and drive for our community support efforts.
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2,000 Registered Volunteers!! |
We are very excited to announce that almost 700 more people have registered as a Hands On Tokyo volunteer this year, which brings our total to 2,000 registered volunteers. About half of HOT volunteers are Japanese, and the other half are international volunteers representing a total of 42 nations. We are very proud to be able to volunteer with such a diverse group of individuals. At this time, we would like to introduce 3 of our international volunteers who have been volunteering regularly through Hands On Tokyo. |
International Volunteer Highlight |
Jo George came to Japan from New Zealand 3 years ago. Compared to her volunteer experiences in New Zealand, she replied, "Being a HOT volunteer is different as you have many people from all over the world helping out. Back in New Zealand, you'd usually volunteer with people from your city." Jo volunteers on the weekdays in the 3R Project. "I like participating in programs that help families who don't have the basic goods we take for granted. Volunteering with HOT is so good because everyone is so welcoming, and they really help others out in the broad community. " Nghiem Phu Binh is from Vietnam, and he came to study at Rikkyo University on a scholarship from The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). He decided to volunteer when he found out about HOT through Google. "I thought I should also give rather than just receive. It is also an excuse for me to be busier, think positively, and engage actively with other people." He explains that compared to volunteer opportunities in Vietnam, HOT activities are "better and more professional. I like the way it works." Binh has volunteered at most of HOT's projects, but the Hakujuso Senior Home Project is his favorite, which was also his first HOT project. Rana Al Mutawa is from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). She came to Japan to learn more about the culture, and is currently studying Japanese at a language school. She found out about HOT by researching on-line, and was surprised to see that there were many things to do for people who don't speak Japanese. Comparing her volunteer experiences in Dubai and in Japan, she explains that volunteering in Dubai is much more limited and is difficult to find a variety of opportunities. "I was so excited about the range of opportunities through HOT that I started registering for 2 different types of volunteer activities on the same day!" Rana continues to volunteer regularly in many projects, but her most memorable project was the English Conversation Project, a program for adults with visual impairment. "It was so interesting to hear their stories, and to tell them about my own culture. They were very interested in me, and I felt that they were truly happy to have the volunteers there. I could feel they really enjoyed my presence. It was one of those experiences where you leave feeling better because you made someone happy." |
Introducing New Volunteer Projects |
Besides the 12 ongoing projects described on the website, Hands On Tokyo is launching a few new projects involving a group of dedicated volunteers who are committed to volunteering regularly with one child or group of children throughout the year.
One of these projects is called the "HOT Professional Series." Once the children turn 18, they must leave the home and live independently. Since many of them do not have an adequate support system, there are countless job-related challenges that these children face. This program invites professionals in many fields to speak to junior high and high school students about their jobs, their career paths, and how they overcame obstacles they have faced in life or at work.
Another project HOT is developing is the "English Tutoring Project" which aims to have a volunteer or a dedicated group of volunteers tutor a child or a small group of children in English. Native English-speakers visit the group home and tutor high school students in group and one-to-one sessions. Since English is a dominant global language, this project aims to improve the children's communication abilities so that they can meet various people and seize more opportunities in life.
We are also developing a partnership with Tyler Foundation, which supports children with cancer and their families. Hands On Tokyo is supporting their program, "Shine On! House," which provides children and their families with a safe place to interact outside of their home and hospital environment.
In developing these programs, our partners have stressed the importance of having the same volunteers come and interact with the children and create a trusting and nurturing environment. For this reason, we have not been promoting these projects on our website.
However, if you are interested in volunteering long-term and on a regular basis or would like more information, please contact Hands On Tokyo (03-3583-2135 / info@handsontokyo.org).
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Save The Date!:February 4, 2011 for
Taste For Volunteering 2011 |
Hands On Tokyo is very honored that we can hold our fourth annual fundraising event, Taste For Volunteering on Friday, February 4th at The Capitol Hotel Tokyu (Tameike Sanno), which opened this past October. This year's event theme will be "Smile."
DATE: Friday, February 4, 2011 TIME: 6:30-10:00 PM LOCATION: The Capitol Hotel Tokyu

COST: ¥20,000 per person DRESS CODE: Cocktail or Business Attire RSVP: tfv@handsontokyo.org
Please respond to the above address
with full name of each guest. Payment details will be sent upon
receipt of your response.
Space is limited, so gather your friends and register early!
Once payment is received, guests' names
will be added to the guest list.
Tickets will not be mailed.
This past November, artwork by Hiroshi Senju was used as the back panel for the APEC JAPAN 2010. We are very fortunate that this renowned artist has donated one of his HS PRINT (hanga) pieces as an item for this fundraising event. Many more unique and elegant items such as a pair of round-trip tickets to Europe (business class) will be auctioned at the event as guests enjoy a fabulous dinner with exquisite wine. Taste For Volunteering 2011 will definitely be a night to remember.
Funds raised through our auction, together with other generous donations and sponsorships throughout the year, enable us to continue to grow and provide a much-needed service to the Tokyo community.
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If you would like to stop receiving newsletters and other information from Hands On Tokyo, please e-mail info@handsontokyo.org .
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Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities |
Sign up today!
BE THE CHANGE. VOLUNTEER.
3R Project at HOT Office
-10:00-12:00
Jan 6(Thu), 14(Fri), 20(Thu)
-14:00-16:00
Jan 11(Tue)
(Families and Children of all ages welcome)
Hakujusou Senior Home Jan 15(Sat) 14:00-16:00 (Families and children of all ages welcome. Children under 15 must be accompanied
by an adult.) English Conversation with The Tokyo Metropolitan Welfare Association of the Blind Jan 8(Sat) 9:40 -12:00 FULL (For ages 10 and up.)
Tsukuba Blind School English Conversation for High Schoolers
Jan 29(Sat)10:00 -12:00 (For ages 10 and up.)
Tennis Lessons for Blind Children at Iidabashi Jan 8(Sat) 9:00 -12:00 (For ages 15 and up) * Tennis experience required.
Tennis Lessons for Blind Children at Ayase Jan 22(Sat) 11:00 -14:00 FULL (For ages 15 and up) * Tennis experience required.
Rice Ball-Making at
The Peninsula Tokyo Jan 17(Mon) 14:00-15:00 FULL
Jan 26(Wed) 14:00-15:00 FULL (For ages 16 and up)
Wakabaryo Children's Home Jan 15(Sat) 10:30-12:00 (For ages 10 and up, Children under 15 must be accompanied by an adult.) Sponsored by: 
Special Olympics
Motor Development Program(MDP)
Jan 22(Sat), 29(Sat) 13:00-15:00 (For ages 8 and up; children under 10)
Special Olympics Basketball 1
(Beginners) Jan 30(Sun) 13:00-15:00 (For ages 8 and up; children under 10
must be accompanied by an adult)
Special Olympics Basketball 2
(Intermediate) Jan 30(Sun) 15:00-17:00
(Must be able to play basketball)
Saiseikai Gardening
Jan 28(Fri) 14:00-15:00 (For ages 18 and up)
Please sign up at our website
For any questions,
Please e-mail at:
info@handsontokyo.org or call: 03-3583-2135
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Sponsors
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For further information on sponsorship opportunities with Hands On Tokyo, please contact info@handsontokyo.org |
Board of Directors |
Board Hiroshi Amemiya Chisa Fujita Michael Heideman Aya Higa, Vice-Chairman Sheree Hsu, Board Secretary Corinne Johnson
Edward "Ted" S. Johnson Michael Khoo
Dawson Steven Lin, Chairman
Terence Murphy Cora Ann Neilon
David A. Nishida, Board Treasurer
Nami Okubo
Asha Pai Sethi Patrick Shearer Donald Soo
Haruko Tokura
Staff
Yayoi Sogo, Program Director
River Furuta, Program Manager
Seiko Togasaki, Office Manager
Chihoko Ishikawa, Office Assistant
Tel: 03-3583-2135
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Advisors
| Deva Hirsch,
Founder and President, Emeritus
Advisory Board
Akie Abe Wife of former Prime Minister Abe
Tetsuya (Ted) Fujita. Board Member,
Asset Managers Holdings Co.,Ltd.
Yuichi Katoh, Chairman Asia Pacific Land
Hideo "Joe" Morita, President Morita Asset Management
Yoshiki "Paul" Otake, Founder, Executive Advisor, Aflac Japan HOT Advisory Board Chairman
Paul Yonamine, General Manager,
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