Advance Wellbeing for Mothers in Japan

Dear Our Generous Donors,

Thank you very much for your continuing support. In today's report, we would like to share a story about Charity Santa, one of the organizations participating in World in You's Board Fellow Program 4th cohort. Charity Santa aims to bring beloved memories to all children in Japan.

Child poverty has become a significant social issue in Japan, with approximately 11.5% of children living in relative poverty, ranking among the higher rates in OECD countries.

Through their innovative model that empowers both the children they support and the adult donors who participate, they demonstrate how charitable giving can create meaningful impact for all involved. We hope you enjoy learning about their remarkable work.

Read the full Japanese article here.

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From Personal Experience to National Movement

Charity Santa began in 2008 when founder Natsuki Kiyosuke and a partner envisioned Japan's first Santa-based charity. Their model was simple: families pay a 3,000 yen donation, prepare presents for their children, and trained volunteer Santas deliver them while sharing personalized encouragement and the message that "someone is watching over you."

What surprised the founders most was how profoundly the experience moved the adult volunteers, leading to organic expansion across Japan. Today, the organization operates in 44 locations nationwide with approximately 2,000 volunteer Santas delivering presents to 1,500 households each Christmas Eve, reaching hundreds of thousands of children annually.

Uncovering Hidden Christmas Inequality

A pivotal moment came when research revealed they were primarily serving affluent families while missing children from struggling households. Additional surveys of single-mother families uncovered a painful reality: one in three wished "Christmas wouldn't come at all." Parents desperately wanted to create positive memories but lacked resources, and children felt they were "bad" because Santa didn't visit.

The most frequently mentioned word in survey responses was "memories" - highlighting that what struggling families needed most wasn't just material support, but the creation of positive memories and assurance that their children are valued.

Book Santa: Expanding Impact Through Innovation

To reach underserved children and create stable funding, Charity Santa launched "Book Santa" in partnership with bookstores nationwide. Donors purchase new books at participating stores, which are then distributed to children in need during Christmas events.

This program creates a win-win situation for all stakeholders: bookstores increase sales, donors enjoy meaningful giving experiences, and children receive books and positive memories. The initiative has grown to approximately 1,900 bookstores - one-third of Japan's bookstores - distributing over 128,000 books since 2017.

Mission: Creating Resilience Through Love

Charity Santa's mission is "to leave children with beloved memories" with a vision of "a society where adults join hands for children's sake." They believe children who have memories of being loved will have strength to persevere during challenging times.

The organization has grown substantially, with 10 full-time staff and revenues reaching 200 million yen in 2024. They partner with approximately 300 other NPOs nationwide, reaching an additional 100,000 children in difficult circumstances while serving about 10,000 children annually through direct applications.

By focusing on creating "beloved memories" rather than just delivering presents, Charity Santa provides children with internal resources that can sustain them through future challenges, demonstrating how a simple idea can evolve into a comprehensive approach to child welfare that addresses both immediate needs and long-term emotional resilience.

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We look forward to posting stories with other nonprofits we have collaborated/supported!

With gratitude,

World in You Team

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Dear our generous supporters,

We are thrilled to share with you the successful launch of our 4th Board Fellow Program, a six-month action-learning program that brings together nonprofit organizations and business leaders to address management challenges. Thanks to your generous support, we recently held our in-person kickoff event, gathering participants from across Japan.

Creating futures for children has deep connections with promoting gender equity, and at World in You, we are delighted to continue our work in this field. We believe these interconnected issues are crucial for building truly inclusive communities where all children and parents can thrive.

Program Overview

The Board Fellow Program is designed to go beyond traditional volunteering. Instead of one-time volunteer activities, business professionals learn about nonprofit governance while tackling real management and social challenges from a board member's perspective. This creates lasting cross-sector collaboration, with many business leaders eventually joining nonprofits as official board members or advisors after program completion.

Participating Organizations

The 4th cohort features three nonprofits working to "create communities where children look forward to the future without isolation":

1. Okinawa Youth Self-Support Center Churayui
   Based in Okinawa, Churayui strives for "a society where everyone's dignity is protected and recognized." They partner with children and young people to advocate for youth rights, address social isolation, and create diverse play opportunities. Their services include providing safe spaces, educational support, and employment assistance for socially isolated youth experiencing school refusal or hikikomori (social withdrawal).
2. Childcare Custom-made Support Komomo
   Operating in Aomori Prefecture, Komomo values "rebuilding childcare communities, ensuring environments that guarantee children's growth, nurturing adults who understand children, and fostering community connections." They train childcare helpers who support families during pregnancy and child-rearing, organize "Gaku-viva" sessions where parents share experiences and learn together, and run "Asobiba," outdoor play activities for children and parents.
3. Charity Santa
   Working nationwide with the vision of "a society where adults come together for children," Charity Santa's mission is "to leave memories of being loved in children's hearts." Starting with volunteer Santas delivering gifts to families with young children at Christmas, they've expanded to provide free services to children and families in difficult circumstances through donations. They've also broadened their work beyond Christmas through collaborations with other NPOs, companies, and local governments, launching initiatives like "Book Santa" and "Share Cake."

From Participating Nonprofit

As Charity Santa celebrates its 10th anniversary as an NPO, they shared: "As our organization grows in scale and welcomes new team members, we're excited to reconsider our organizational direction and the value we can return to society. We look forward to discussions with diverse sector professionals from long-term perspectives, beyond annual or short-term planning."

Diverse Group of Participants
Along with these three nonprofits, fourteen professionals from diverse fields including sustainability/CSR, tax/accounting, investment, media, education, academia, and more are joining this program to discuss the participating nonprofits' actual governance and management challenges.

We are deeply grateful for your continued support, which helps strengthen nonprofit organizations across Japan and creates communities where children can look forward to the future without isolation.

With heartfelt appreciation,
Mio and World in You Team

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