1.NYdV News

In January 2009, NY de Volunteer has received advertising space (worth $10,000 every month) as a grant from Google.Inc who distributes grants to not-for-profit organizations that makes the world better through local community services. Thanks to this, an ad from NY de Volunteer will appear on Google search engine results.

Activities of Japanese Medical Support Network (JAMSnet) were introduced in the Japanese free paper, Yomi Time, vol. 13, 2009 New Year issue. NY de Volunteer is a member of JAMSnet and NYdV was featured as an organization that encourages exchange between Japanese and Americans, and enhances quality of life through our program "The Japanese Spa Day - Philanthropy through Beauty" by providing volunteer services such as make-up and manicure which has positive effects for easing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and rehabilitations. JAMSnet is an organization established in January 2006 to exchange information within Japanese not-for-profit organizations in the medical industry in NY and to build stronger connection between them. In addition to NY de Volunteer, JAMSnet member organizations conduct a wide variety of activities, including Japanese Medical Society of America; organizations for mental health care; supporting childbirth and child care; supporting victims of domestic violence; and so on. We recommend learning more about JAMSnet to support your healthy life in NY and to consult with them when you are in need. JAMSnet websit: http://www.ny.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jp/g/05.html

Noriko Hino, NYdV Executive Director, was chosen for membership in the Alliance for Business Professional Services. ABPS is an organization who supports small businesses in the U.S. and their support covers the all aspects of business including starting a business, selling products, and marketing. The members are composed of experts from a variety of fields such as management strategy, HR, law, accounting, and so on. And they support management as a whole through consulting and lectures for not only Japanese but American and Asian small businesses. Noriko was chosen for a member as an expert for a new field, "NPO management and joint project planning of companies and NPOs." This means that NYdV's achievements for NPO management were admired and we are much honored. Taking this opportunity as an encouragement, we will revitalize NYdV programs. ABPS HP: www.abps-us.org

Noriko Hino, NYdV Executive Director, was interviewed by Business Data, a Japanese magazine about management and data for business people, for a column, "Working methods of smart business people" in New Yorkon February 2009 issue. The interview is titled "Experience, Education, Exchange; Creating a bridge between local communities and Japan through volunteer" and she talked about variety of things including how she started NY de Volunteer, challenges through managing the organization, and prospects.

Noriko Hino, NYdV Executive Director was featured by I see NY.com on a section "New York Success Story of a Shining Person at the Forefront" (Vol. 27). The editor, Ms. Michiko Kichise, interviewed Noriko in depth for an hour and introduced many sides of her story including how she grew up in Japan and details of how she started NY de Volunteer, her dream to "actualize a society of high quality life with a rich and warm heart by thinking about one another's happiness and supporting each other." Noriko also talked about her motto "to have an ambitious goal and not to limit one's own ability." After the interview, Ms. Kichise sent Noriko an e-mail; "Through this interview, I was inspired by Noriko's kind heart and strong mentality. After the interview, I felt like starting something new. First, I'll begin with joining the mailing list of NY de Volunteer. While writing the article, I felt pure feeling in my heart to maintain beautiful mind and do something with the organization." We are very happy to hear such a comment. You can see the article with Noriko's interview in Japanese at http://www.iseeny.com/success/success_27.html

In NYdV's original program, Explore Japanese Culture After School Program, we provide opportunities to local children to try on yukatas (Japanese traditional cotton dress) to experience Japanese culture. However, they had no choice but to wear oversized yukatas for adults because it was hard for us to obtain smaller ones for children. So, NYdV decided to ask for donations of yukata and fortunately we received yukatas not only from NY but also from Japan. Ms. Junko Hasegawa learned about this through our mailing list and brought yukata to NYdV office by herself. Ms. Yuri Hoshino in Japan remade adult yukata to child yukata by herself and sent it to us. Also, Palette, a not-for-profit organization in Tokyo, with which NYdV has had a good long relationship, made a notice for NYdV, and Ms. Seiko Fujita, a volunteer from Palette, brought yukata to our office by herself when she visited NY on her vacation. Through these kind donations, we realized that programs of NYdV are supported by so many people. We will use those yukatas with care. For those who has supported us, thank you so much!

2. NYdV Activities from January to June in 2009

NYdV has answered needs for local NPOs in New York city by carrying out our programs that contains three elements including experience, education, and exchange, and has boosted the morale of the volunteers to participate.

NY de Volunteer has its original program to introduce Japanese culture called "Explore Japanese Culture! (EJC) An After School Program" and it's part of an after school program in recreation centers operated by New York City.

The goal of this program is to provide young children in NY with opportunities to cultivate a sense of "Global citizenship" by coming into contact with a different culture and its values.

This program will satisfy educational needs of New York City which is notable for its diversity education (education about variety of people).

In this program, we introduce Japanese lives and cultures to children in age from six to thirteen in New York in 8 sessions and each session has a theme, such as Japanese language, games, foods, martial arts, tea ceremony, dances, and so son.



Misako, one of our volunteer who has participated in EJC wrote a report about her experience;

During my vacation, I stayed at my friend's house in New Jersey for a week. She is a volunteer staff of NYdV and she invited me to volunteer for this program with hercAll volunteers turned into smile when they met cute children.

We started the day with greeting in Japanese way, and handed name tags by calling names of each children. The children were little bit shy but smiling while saying "arigato" (thank you in Japanese) while receiving their name tags, and they were very cute.

After that, we started a simple game as our first exchange between all NYdV volunteers and children. We exchanged a greeting in Japanese by saying "Konnichiwa, xxx san." (Hello, Mr. /Ms. xxx.) and shook hands each other.

It was very nice atmosphere through whole game, and we all exchanged greetings with many people.
Next, we had a contest with paper airplanes. Using English terms I learned the day before, I managed to teach children how to make an airplane by folding a piece of paper.

They put their name on their own paper airplanes and started a test drive. Everyone was so excited that they seemed like they couldn't wait to try it. We had an exciting contest to compete whose airplane can fly farthest.

I enjoyed watching various faces of children; one screaming so happily because her airplane flew well, one disappointed because his airplane fell soon, and another excitingly rushing to try it again. The airplane which a child I taught made flew very well and I was very happy about it too.

At the end, we played a bamboo game. Though the rule of the game was difficult, there was no problem and we were able to have fun because NYdV staff members explained the rule very well and the children were smart too. It was interesting to see that children in different age group played the game in different ways; younger ones playing it simply, older ones with deeper thoughts.

It was heart-warming to watch them play together very well no matter how old they werecVolunteering with this program was very valuable experience which I couldn't have in ordinary vacation.

I really appreciate NYdV staff members and my friend who invited me for this event.
Thank you so much.

3. You are the HERO!

This column is to introduce Hero who plays an active part in NYdV activities. Mr. Carl Taeusch, NYdV Adviser Mr. Carl Taeusch joined NYdV as an adviser in June. He is a NY State qualified lawyer and lived in Japan for thirteen years while working as a representative for a pharmaceutical company and industrial organization. With such an experience, he is not only bilingual but also has a through knowledge of Japanese traditional cultures such as kyogen (one of the Japanese classical performing arts) which he has practiced for a long time. He came back to NY after retirement and found out about NYdV's Explore Japanese Culture Program on a Japanese free paper. He felt sympathy for our programs and contacted NYdV in February 2009 to offer his support for our management. On May 1st, he participated in EJC and performed kyogen to local children in NY. It was first time for the children to see Japanese classical culture and they were very curious. In addition, Carl actively helps NYdV management by raising fund. For such an organization like NYdV that promote Japanese American exchange while providing social service, support by someone like Carl-who has lived in both countries and understands both cultures- is very reassuring. Therefore, we asked him to keep supporting us by being our advisor, and thankfully, he agreed readily. NYdV will keep growing with Carl. We appreciate your continuous support.

Message to NYdV Supporters

Thank you so much for supporting NYdV. This is Noriko Hino, Executive Director. "Explore Japanese Culture After School Program" , created and provided by NYdV, is designed to provide children from disadvantaged communities in New York with an opportunity to experience diversity and cultural differences while cultivating sense of global citizenship. This is one of the volunteer opportunities suitable for Japanese people living in New York. The reason for New York City to add our EJC program as their official program was because they realized the importance for children to experience cultural difference for diversity education. By introducing Japanese culture to children, we can show them different ways of thoughts and diversity. I believe that this can't be done without us, Japanese, who came from the other side of the earth, and who look very different from them. By the end of the program after two months, children in the program told us their dreams. "Now, I love Japan! I'd love to know more about Japan and I'd like to tell about Japan to other children in future." "I'd like to be an English teacher and live in different countries around the world." By broadening their world through this program, their dreams become their goals. I'm sure those curious children will enjoy exploring the different world. In recession, I'm sure many of you have been having difficult time. In fact, a lot of NPOs have been suffering from less and less donations. NYdV is not an exception and we are facing difficulty receiving fund for EJC program from New York City this year. We could stop this program because of insufficient budget. However, it means to take an opportunity from children to experience different cultures. We can't continue our programs without your kind support. Please help us with your donation for continuing our programs. Let's work together to broaden children's view point and create bright future for them. Thank you for your cooperation.

Allumonde Wear the cause!

Felissimo and NYdV collaborated on a project called "Alumonde." One of the projects that Felissimo created is DESIGN 21: Social Design Network, whereby members of the design community, socially conscious individuals, local governments, businesses and non-profit organizations (NPOs) can address social concerns and create smart solutions through design. It's a way in which like-minded people can connect to share resources, inspire each other and take action.


Wear the Cause!
Make a social design statement with the Allumonde ring,
designed exclusively for the Social Design Network by renowned furniture and industrial designer Richard Hutten.
Allumonde represents:
Commitment to the Cause
Connection to One Another
Continuity to the Cycle of Giving
19% of profits go to NY de Volunteer and 2% to UNESCO.
Stainless Steel -$35
Titanium Coating -$55
Silver -$85, Gold-$2,500

Please purchase online: http://www.design21sdn.com/

Active Supporters

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Our continuing operation requires operational funds. We appreciate your support.
The full amount of your donation is tax deductible.

Please send checks for donation!

$10, $25, $50, $100, $1,000, it doesn't matter how much but we sincerely appreciate your donation to continue our programs.

*NYdV is a tax-exempt organization and you can claim tax credit for your donation.

Make checks payable to:
NY de Volunteer Inc.
601 West 110th Street Suite10K5,
New York, NY 10025

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Please donate to us through the Internet. We Are Very Grateful For Your Support!

Newsletter Vol.14 Staff

Mari Mizoguchi, Ryoko Matsumoto, Sachie Miyashita, Naoko Sato, Yumiko Ozawa, Eri Sano, Shizuka Kamaga,
Satsuki Ishigawaki, Noriko Okubo

Thank you for your support