300 Yen for 100% of a Child's Meal: 'Food Ribbon Project' Supporting Meals with Goodwill Gathered at Restaurants, Launching Crowdfunding for Nationwide Expansion to 1,000 Locations
The General Incorporated Association Long Spoon Association has launched a crowdfunding campaign on CAMPFIRE from April 4, 2026, to accelerate the nationwide expansion of the 'Food Ribbon Project,' which supports children's meals through the goodwill gathered at local restaurants. The project aims to expand to 1,000 locations nationwide by its 5th anniversary on May 5, 2026, and eventually to all 18,545 public elementary school districts.
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- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 19:22
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The General Incorporated Association Long Spoon Association (Location: Ichikawa City, Chiba Prefecture; Representative Director: Nobuyuki Hashimoto) will launch a crowdfunding campaign on the crowdfunding site "CAMPFIRE" from Saturday, April 4, 2026, to accelerate the nationwide expansion of the "Food Ribbon Project," which supports children's meals through the goodwill gathered at local restaurants.
Marking its 5th anniversary on May 5, 2026, the project first aims to expand to 1,000 locations nationwide, and in the long term, accelerate its challenge to create places where children can eat safely in all 18,545 public elementary school districts nationwide.
■ To eliminate children struggling with "today's meal" — A challenge to 20,000 stores nationwide
In Japan, one in nine children is said to be in relative poverty (2022, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare "Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions"), and 12.1% of households with children have experienced "not being able to prepare necessary meals for economic reasons" (National Institute of Population and Social Security Research "Survey on Life and Mutual Support" 2022, calculated by the Children and Families Agency). The number of children who are anxious about "today's meal" is by no means small.
However, these problems are often invisible to outsiders, and families in need of support often find it difficult to speak up. That is why what is needed is an environment where they can naturally rely on support in their daily lives.
We believe that local restaurants can play that role, and we have been expanding the Food Ribbon initiative by collaborating with local governments to support the introduction of the project to restaurants. Currently, 303 stores are participating. We aim to expand to 1,000 locations nationwide first, and ultimately, our long-term goal is to create places where every child in all public elementary school districts (18,545 locations) does not have to worry about "today's meal."
As the project approaches its 5th anniversary on May 5, 2026, we will accelerate our efforts to expand reliable "eating places" for children nationwide through this crowdfunding campaign.
■ What is the Food Ribbon Project?
The Food Ribbon is a system that supports children's "today's meal" through local restaurants.
Adults using the restaurant "pre-purchase" one 300-yen ribbon as a child's meal. The ribbon is displayed in the store, and by using it, any child within the target age range can eat for free.
The three features are as follows:
Available daily: Can be used on business days, even during summer vacation or days without school lunch.
Condition is age only: Economic situation is not questioned.
100% of support goes to a child's meal: A 300-yen ribbon directly provides one meal.
By being in familiar restaurants as part of daily life, a "place to rely on when in need" is created within the community. Also, a 300-yen ribbon from adults in the community...
Marking its 5th anniversary on May 5, 2026, the project first aims to expand to 1,000 locations nationwide, and in the long term, accelerate its challenge to create places where children can eat safely in all 18,545 public elementary school districts nationwide.
■ To eliminate children struggling with "today's meal" — A challenge to 20,000 stores nationwide
In Japan, one in nine children is said to be in relative poverty (2022, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare "Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions"), and 12.1% of households with children have experienced "not being able to prepare necessary meals for economic reasons" (National Institute of Population and Social Security Research "Survey on Life and Mutual Support" 2022, calculated by the Children and Families Agency). The number of children who are anxious about "today's meal" is by no means small.
However, these problems are often invisible to outsiders, and families in need of support often find it difficult to speak up. That is why what is needed is an environment where they can naturally rely on support in their daily lives.
We believe that local restaurants can play that role, and we have been expanding the Food Ribbon initiative by collaborating with local governments to support the introduction of the project to restaurants. Currently, 303 stores are participating. We aim to expand to 1,000 locations nationwide first, and ultimately, our long-term goal is to create places where every child in all public elementary school districts (18,545 locations) does not have to worry about "today's meal."
As the project approaches its 5th anniversary on May 5, 2026, we will accelerate our efforts to expand reliable "eating places" for children nationwide through this crowdfunding campaign.
■ What is the Food Ribbon Project?
The Food Ribbon is a system that supports children's "today's meal" through local restaurants.
Adults using the restaurant "pre-purchase" one 300-yen ribbon as a child's meal. The ribbon is displayed in the store, and by using it, any child within the target age range can eat for free.
The three features are as follows:
Available daily: Can be used on business days, even during summer vacation or days without school lunch.
Condition is age only: Economic situation is not questioned.
100% of support goes to a child's meal: A 300-yen ribbon directly provides one meal.
By being in familiar restaurants as part of daily life, a "place to rely on when in need" is created within the community. Also, a 300-yen ribbon from adults in the community...