Cumulative Support Exceeds 1,000 People! "Table for Kids," a New Food Support Initiative Utilizing a Smartphone Payment App

Yumeshokunin (Headquarters: Koto Ward, Tokyo; Chairperson: Jun Iwakiri), a certified non-profit organization engaged in social education and welfare activities for children and youth primarily in the Tokyo metropolitan area, is collaborating with Finnovalley Inc. (Headquarters: Minato Ward, Tokyo; President and CEO: Shuhei Kawata), a company developing digital local currency services, on "Table for Kids" (a support coupon program for children's "food" needs), which assists child-rearing households facing economic difficulties.

Since the program's launch in December 2020, we have continued to provide new food support in collaboration with local businesses. We are pleased to announce that our cumulative support has reached 400 households, assisting 1,106 parents and children, thus surpassing the 1,000-person milestone. As of the end of May 2026, coupons have been used 13,227 times, delivering meals and food items totaling 36,825,785 yen. Most recently, we opened applications for new support households from April 17 to May 14, 2026, and began providing new coupons in mid-June 2026 to the selected families after a rigorous review and lottery process.

Background: Challenges Facing Existing Food Support and the Significance of This Initiative

Currently, food support for child-rearing households facing economic difficulties is at a major turning point.

"Children's cafeterias," which are said to have exceeded 12,000 locations in fiscal year 2025, aim to foster community interaction, intergenerational connections, and combat solitary eating, serving as a place where everyone from children to the elderly can participate. However, many of these operate primarily as events, held only once or twice a month for a few hours, and thus do not provide stable and continuous support for the "daily meals" of struggling families.

Furthermore, with the promotion of SDGs and the impact of rising prices, both households and companies are increasingly aware of food loss reduction. This has led to a challenge where it has become more difficult to collect food for donations for "food banks." Additionally, particularly in urban areas, rising rental costs for warehouses needed for food storage and management have further increased expenses compared to the past.

In this context, the digital coupon system of "Table for Kids," which has provided stable daily meals without interruption since its launch in December 2020, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, has proven to be an extremely effective solution.

"Table for Kids" System and Features: A New Food Safety Net Connecting Communities

"Table for Kids" provides digital coupons (in point format) to child-rearing households facing economic difficulties, such as single-parent and low-income families, which can be used at participating local stores for specific menus or products.

"Table for Kids" Support Flow

Smart and Privacy-Conscious Support These digital coupons are developed and operated based on Finnovalley's digital local currency platform system, "MoneyEasy," and can be easily used as a QR code payment app on smartphones. This enables support that respects user privacy, allowing for discreet use without drawing attention from others.

"Local Shops" Cooperate to Provide Meals and Food

To date, a total of 82 stores in 7 wards of Tokyo (Koto, Sumida, Chuo, Edogawa, Katsushika, Adachi, and Arakawa Wards) have participated as cooperating member stores. We have partnered with restaurants, bento and side dish shops, as well as rice retailers, greengrocers, and butchers to provide warm meals and fresh food items. We are continuously recruiting and vetting cooperating member stores.

"Information Support" to Prevent Isolation, Using Food as an Entry Point

The app not only provides food support but also disseminates information on support services offered by NPOs and organizations targeting families facing economic difficulties. By delivering timely information to struggling households that may not otherwise receive it, the program helps prevent missed applications or deadlines and plays a role in preventing social isolation.

Future Outlook and Request for Donations and Support

This project is operated with funds from donations and grants received from citizens, corporations, and organizations. The need for support from households facing hardship due to the ongoing impact of rising prices remains high. Yumeshokunin is widely seeking donations and support through the following methods to extend "Table for Kids" assistance to more parents and children. In addition to direct donations via credit card, we offer various support methods.

<Examples of Various Support Methods>

・Support with Points: V Points, PayPay (Yahoo! Net Fundraising)

・Easy App Support: J-Coin Pay (Pochitto Bokin)

・Utilize Unused Items: Donate Used Items for Reuse (Bookoff "Kimochi to.")

・From Everyday Infrastructure: Switch to SDGs-Compliant Electricity (Kakehashi Denki)

▼"Table for Kids" Official Website (Donation Details & Application)

https://tfk.yumeshokunin.org/

[Tax Benefits (Donation Deductions) Regarding Donations]

Yumeshokunin is a "Certified NPO" recognized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Donations to our organization are eligible for tax benefits (donation deductions, etc.) when filing your income tax return.

・For Individuals: Eligible for income tax "donation deduction (income deduction or tax credit)" and individual resident tax deductions in some municipalities.

・For Corporations: Donations can be deducted as expenses within the scope of "special expense deduction limits," which are calculated separately from the general expense deduction limits for ordinary donations.

System Partner

Finnovalley Inc. Headquarters: Sato Building 3F, 2-17-5 Taishido, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo Established: June 15, 2018 President and CEO: Shuhei Kawata As a member of the TIS INTEC Group, Finnovalley Inc. provides fintech solutions, including the digital local currency platform "MoneyEasy." Headquartered in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, the company collaborates with municipalities and businesses nationwide to solve regional issues through cashless payments, revitalize local economies, and promote administrative DX.

https://finnovalley.jp/

Certified Non-Profit Organization Yumeshokunin

Headquarters: Ogawa Building 2F, 6-54-5 Kameido, Koto Ward, Tokyo Established: April 25, 2008 Chairperson: Jun Iwakiri With a mission to "support the learning and growth of children and youth through society as a whole," we have been engaged in social education and welfare activities for children and youth in the Tokyo metropolitan area since 2004. URL: Corporate Site https://yumeshokunin.org/

Learning Trip https://trip.yumeshokunin.org/

Table for Kids https://tfk.yumeshokunin.org/

Eduwell Journal https://eduwell.jp/