Established in August 2025 within the Public Resource Foundation, the Shinichi Ikeda Children’s Cafeteria Fund supports “children’s cafeterias” (kodomo shokudo) to ensure that young people always have a safe, welcoming place to eat. 子ども食堂 寄付

 

According to government data, Japan’s relative child poverty rate stands at 11.5%—meaning roughly one in nine children faces food insecurity. To address this issue right in our backyards, fund founder Shinichi Ikeda drew from his own upbringing. As a child, Ikeda faced severe financial hardship, isolation, and bullying. There were days when the utilities were cut off, and he often spent nights alone. Amid these struggles, it was the unexpected kindness of neighbors—a classmate’s mother inviting him over for dinner, or making him a homemade school lunch—that became his lifeline.

 

Driven by a desire to pay that warmth forward, Ikeda set up the fund as a structured, lasting way to support children, ensuring the aid continues even after his lifetime. While the Public Resource Foundation manages the operations, Ikeda provides the financial backing. The fund has already begun distributing ¥400,000 grants to local nonprofits, including the Rainbow Ribbon NPO in Tokyo and the Toride NPO in Yamaguchi Prefecture. 子ども食堂 支援

 

To keep this vital work going, the fund welcomes donations from the public. Contributions can be made via credit card through the “Give One” platform, with options for one-time or recurring gifts, all of which qualify for tax deductions in Japan.

 

 

“Even just learning about these cafeterias and sharing their story is a meaningful way to help,” Ikeda says. By passing along the kindness we have all received at some point in our lives, we can protect the present and shape the future for children in need. 子どもの貧困