It¡¯s around noon on a Sunday in January, and the inviting scent of curry drifts through the hallways of a community center in Kameari, a working-class neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s northeastern Katsushika Ward. A steady stream of children and their mothers stop by, chatting with volunteers and browsing the free recycled clothes and food items on offer.
Today¡¯s event in Kameari is being run by Eme-Ima Kitchen, a group that organizes free monthly lunches for children (?300 for adults), a separate food pantry for single-parent households, and a weekly kids¡¯ cafe where children can receive learning support and build communication skills by playing board games.
¡°I started coming to their food pantry when my daughter was still in kindergarten, during a particularly difficult time,¡± says Marie Fujishima, a single mother visiting with her daughter, who¡¯s now in the third grade. ¡°The people here are kind and welcoming. It was especially helpful during the pandemic when we couldn¡¯t meet others.¡±
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