"Otagaisama Ticket" x "Food Ribbon" Envisioning Community Mutual Aid and Children's Future Connected by Compassion
NPO Team Fukushima and General Incorporated Association Long Spoon Association will hold an online collaborative forum on May 5, 2026, themed "Child Isolation and Loneliness." This event aims to discuss community mutual aid and the future of children through their activities, "Otagaisama Ticket" and "Food Ribbon."
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- 📰 Published: April 30, 2026 at 18:17
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NPO Team Fukushima (Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, Chairman: Masahito Handa) and General Incorporated Association Long Spoon Association (Ichikawa City, Chiba Prefecture, Representative Director: Nobuyuki Hashimoto) will hold an online collaborative forum from 8:00 PM on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 (Children's Day).
The theme is "Child Isolation and Loneliness." Two organizations, each developing mechanisms like "Otagaisama Ticket" and "Food Ribbon" based on the pay-it-forward concept, will discuss "the reality of child isolation" they have witnessed on the ground and "what adults in the community can do."
On the special day of "Children's Day," it is a time to question society about the reality of isolation surrounding children and take a step towards changing the community through a cycle of compassion.
Forum Overview
Date: May 5, 2026 (Tuesday, Children's Day) 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Doors open 7:55 PM)
Venue: Online (Zoom)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89637026576?pwd=jZvT4OhEELYzT7GevKiMy5za0BC1n3.1
Meeting ID: 896 3702 6576
Passcode: 020492
Capacity: 90 people (first-come, first-served)
Participation Fee: Free
■ Program
Opening and Introduction of Speakers
Activity Introduction
Masahito Handa ~Otagaisama Ticket~
Hiroaki Kato ~Food Ribbon~
Dialogue: "The Culture of Child Support and Community Mutual Aid Created by Pay-it-Forward"
Introduction to Food Ribbon's 5th Anniversary and Crowdfunding
Closing
What is "Otagaisama no Machi Fukushima" (Fukushima, a Town of Mutual Help)?
Aiming to realize a town overflowing with gratitude and mutual help, transforming Fukushima, which has been seen as a town of sympathy since the earthquake, we operate the "Otagaisama Ticket" dissemination activities and the unmanned welfare children's cafeteria "Community Fridge Himawari."
The "Otagaisama Ticket" promoted by NPO Team Fukushima is a system where customers using a store purchase tickets for unknown others, allowing those who use the tickets to receive free meals or services. We aim to realize a town overflowing with the spirit of "mutual help when in need," targeting introduction to 100 stores in Fukushima City.
Because Fukushima learned the spirit of "mutual help when in need" from all over Japan and the world after the Great East Japan Earthquake, we are now working under the philosophy of returning that model as a favor to all who supported us domestically and internationally, and passing it on to the next generation in those regions.
About the Food Ribbon Project
The Food Ribbon Project was launched in May 2021 by the General Incorporated Association Long Spoon Association as a new children's cafeteria system by restaurants.
Customers using a restaurant purchase a 300-yen ribbon and display it on a board in the store. Children can then use that ribbon to get one free meal. The 300 yen donated goes 100% to a child's meal, with no fees or intermediate costs whatsoever.
① Purchase a ribbon at a partner restaurant (300 yen/piece)
② Display the purchased ribbon on the in-store bulletin board
③ A child takes one displayed ribbon and hands it to the staff
④ Receives one free meal
To spread this system nationwide, we are promoting collaboration with local governments and supporting the introduction of the system to restaurants.
Currently, there are approximately 300 participating restaurants. We aim to expand to 1,000 stores nationwide first, and eventually to all public elementary school districts (18,545 locations).
Furthermore, to accelerate future activities, we are currently undertaking crowdfunding. The overview is as follows:
[Crowdfunding Overview]
Project Name: "We want to deliver 'Today's Meal' and 'Daily Peace of Mind' to children nationwide! #FoodRibbonToNationwide"
Planned Period: April 4, 2026 (Saturday) ~ May 24, 2026 (Sunday) 11:59 PM
Target Amount: 5.55 million yen
Platform: CAMPFIRE
Public URL: https://camp-fire.jp/projects/894050/
Rewards: Food Ribbon Bear plush toy, ribbon mini keychain, name listed on HP, etc.
Use of Funds: Building a foundation for expanding Food Ribbon participating stores (procurement and distribution of necessary materials such as ribbons, stickers, banners, HP renovation, creation of implementation guidelines, etc.)
As of April 27, 2026, the achievement rate exceeds 40%. Thank you very much for your generous support.
About NPO Team Fukushima
Based on the philosophy of "For next" (for the next generation), we conduct the following activities to realize a compassionate society and peace:
1. "Fukushima Sunflower Foster Parent Project" to deepen the bond between Japan and Fukushima through sunflowers.
Started in May 2011, with a cumulative total of approximately 1 million people nationwide and approximately 10,000 educational institutions and organizations.
The theme is "Child Isolation and Loneliness." Two organizations, each developing mechanisms like "Otagaisama Ticket" and "Food Ribbon" based on the pay-it-forward concept, will discuss "the reality of child isolation" they have witnessed on the ground and "what adults in the community can do."
On the special day of "Children's Day," it is a time to question society about the reality of isolation surrounding children and take a step towards changing the community through a cycle of compassion.
Forum Overview
Date: May 5, 2026 (Tuesday, Children's Day) 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Doors open 7:55 PM)
Venue: Online (Zoom)
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89637026576?pwd=jZvT4OhEELYzT7GevKiMy5za0BC1n3.1
Meeting ID: 896 3702 6576
Passcode: 020492
Capacity: 90 people (first-come, first-served)
Participation Fee: Free
■ Program
Opening and Introduction of Speakers
Activity Introduction
Masahito Handa ~Otagaisama Ticket~
Hiroaki Kato ~Food Ribbon~
Dialogue: "The Culture of Child Support and Community Mutual Aid Created by Pay-it-Forward"
Introduction to Food Ribbon's 5th Anniversary and Crowdfunding
Closing
What is "Otagaisama no Machi Fukushima" (Fukushima, a Town of Mutual Help)?
Aiming to realize a town overflowing with gratitude and mutual help, transforming Fukushima, which has been seen as a town of sympathy since the earthquake, we operate the "Otagaisama Ticket" dissemination activities and the unmanned welfare children's cafeteria "Community Fridge Himawari."
The "Otagaisama Ticket" promoted by NPO Team Fukushima is a system where customers using a store purchase tickets for unknown others, allowing those who use the tickets to receive free meals or services. We aim to realize a town overflowing with the spirit of "mutual help when in need," targeting introduction to 100 stores in Fukushima City.
Because Fukushima learned the spirit of "mutual help when in need" from all over Japan and the world after the Great East Japan Earthquake, we are now working under the philosophy of returning that model as a favor to all who supported us domestically and internationally, and passing it on to the next generation in those regions.
About the Food Ribbon Project
The Food Ribbon Project was launched in May 2021 by the General Incorporated Association Long Spoon Association as a new children's cafeteria system by restaurants.
Customers using a restaurant purchase a 300-yen ribbon and display it on a board in the store. Children can then use that ribbon to get one free meal. The 300 yen donated goes 100% to a child's meal, with no fees or intermediate costs whatsoever.
① Purchase a ribbon at a partner restaurant (300 yen/piece)
② Display the purchased ribbon on the in-store bulletin board
③ A child takes one displayed ribbon and hands it to the staff
④ Receives one free meal
To spread this system nationwide, we are promoting collaboration with local governments and supporting the introduction of the system to restaurants.
Currently, there are approximately 300 participating restaurants. We aim to expand to 1,000 stores nationwide first, and eventually to all public elementary school districts (18,545 locations).
Furthermore, to accelerate future activities, we are currently undertaking crowdfunding. The overview is as follows:
[Crowdfunding Overview]
Project Name: "We want to deliver 'Today's Meal' and 'Daily Peace of Mind' to children nationwide! #FoodRibbonToNationwide"
Planned Period: April 4, 2026 (Saturday) ~ May 24, 2026 (Sunday) 11:59 PM
Target Amount: 5.55 million yen
Platform: CAMPFIRE
Public URL: https://camp-fire.jp/projects/894050/
Rewards: Food Ribbon Bear plush toy, ribbon mini keychain, name listed on HP, etc.
Use of Funds: Building a foundation for expanding Food Ribbon participating stores (procurement and distribution of necessary materials such as ribbons, stickers, banners, HP renovation, creation of implementation guidelines, etc.)
As of April 27, 2026, the achievement rate exceeds 40%. Thank you very much for your generous support.
About NPO Team Fukushima
Based on the philosophy of "For next" (for the next generation), we conduct the following activities to realize a compassionate society and peace:
1. "Fukushima Sunflower Foster Parent Project" to deepen the bond between Japan and Fukushima through sunflowers.
Started in May 2011, with a cumulative total of approximately 1 million people nationwide and approximately 10,000 educational institutions and organizations.