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VOLUNTEERING
with
the Homeless and less fortunate families in San Jose - Japanese
Style
event
highlights:
JET Alumni
Volunteer To Help Families in San Jose
On Sunday,
November 10, 2002 a group of JET Alumni participated as volunteers
for the "Sunday Friends" Program. The Sunday Friends Foundation
was started in January 1997 and has contributed to the development
of children living in homeless shelters and in economically
depressed communities by teaching life and work skills. At
the same time it gives volunteers the opportunity to serve
as activity leaders and assistants for children who seek positive
role models.
The JET
Alumni made simple dishes such as yakisoba and taught the
children how to make tuna sushi. The children cut the vegetables,
assisted in making the sushi, and served the sushi and yakisoba
to participants and other volunteers. In return for helping
the children received money tickets which they later exchanged
for gift items at the "Treasure Chest" a specially-constructed
store at the meeting location. The children earn money tickets
by participating in a variety of activities such as preparing
fresh fruit juice to serve, decorating the facility with their
artwork, reading to younger children, writing thank you notes
for special donations, or cleaning the meeting site. Through
participating in the program the children learn responsibility,
cooperation, and team-work. The children generally range in
age from two to seventeen years old with the majority of children
attending elementary school. During our visit over 20 families
participated in the afternoon activities. The Sunday Friends
Program also has a tutoring program, and provides other services
for participating families.
In preparation
for the event JET volunteers agreed to pay $15 per person
and participated in a conference call to organize the event.
We also brought items such as rice cookers, rice, vegetables,
and the ingredients needed to make the yakisoba and tuna sushi.
The Sunday
Friends meet on Sundays at Lowell Elementary School, 7th Street
and Reed, in San Jose from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more
information you may visit their website at www.sundayfriends.org
or call the Sunday Friends voice mail at (408) 793-0441.
A special
thank you to Courtney Burry for organizing this event and
to all of the JET Alumni who participated in this volunteer
event.
-- Mark
Gaines JET Alumni Narashino City 1997 - 2000
Event
prep details:
WHEN:
Sunday, November 10, 2002, 2:00pm - 7:00pm (meet at
1:30pm at the Shelter)
WHAT:
Volunteering to teach Japanese cooking and crafts to homeless
and less privileged families in San Jose. Come out and teach
kids and their families how to make simple Japanese dishes
(need to be on the healthy side) and crafts (origami mobiles,
simple shuji). This program is being coordinated in conjunction
with Sunday
Friends - a a nonprofit organization for children who
live in homeless shelters.
NOTE:
Everyone welcome! Please don't worry if you're not an expert
in Japanese cooking or crafts. We will help to coordinate
all activities!
WHAT
TO BRING: We will coordinate re: cooking ingredients,
and materials for crafts. Stoves are limited in the facility,
so we may need you to also bring along rice cookers, frying
pans etc for the day to cook with.
WHERE:
San Jose Family Shelter 1590 Las Plumas Avenue. San Jose,
California 95133-1667 phone: 408.793.0441
From
101: McKee Rd. East exit to King Rd. Go left on King Rd.
To light at Las Plumas. Go left onto Las Plumas. We will
be on the left.
From
280: King Rd. Exit. Go left onto King. Past McKee to light
at Las Plumas. Go left onto Las Plumas. We will be on the
left.
From
680: McKee Rd. West exit to King Rd. Go right on King Rd.
To light at Las Plumas. Go left onto Las Plumas. We will
be on the left.
COST:
$15/ person (to be used to purchase materials for crafts and
ingredients for cooking)
SIGN
UP : Sign up by Sunday Oct 27, 2002 (limited to
20 people first come first serve) To sign up-contact: Courtney
Burry email: courtneyburry@hotmail.com
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