Greetings from the president – Acknowledgement to donors
It is hard to believe that the first half of the year 2021 has already come and gone. It has not been an easy start, but hopefully things will slowly come back to some kind of normalcy in the next 6 months. As reported previously, Japanese Social Services largely relies on donations for its operational costs. […]
Maintain Mental Wellbeing by Moving your Body
by Junko Mifune, JSS Counsellor JSS Challenge, JSS’s fundraising event, was held on June 13. All participants either walked or ran for 1 hour with or without family or friends for 1 hour. It was rather humid Sunday morning, but it was such refreshing to get a little sweaty with good physical activity. An importance […]
JSS Program & Volunteer Report
by Chie Takano Reeves (RSW) , Community Outreach Worker / Volunteer Coordinator It has been more than a year since JSS started our online programs in hope of providing opportunities for Japanese Canadian community members to connect. Our volunteers who coordinate our social programs (e.g. seniors singing club, craft club, hot lunch social, easy yoga […]
Introduction of new board members
I am Yoshi Ichida from Kyoto, appointed as Director of JSS in May, 2021. My expertise is in trade and Investment, as an Independent Consultant, working with Victor Company of Japan Co. Ltd. Canada, the Japan External Trade Organization Toronto, etc. I was also a Leader of the Japanese Martial Arts Club at the JCCC, a Director of the JCCC and a volunteer Advisor of the Shinkikai for many years. As a […]
Invitation to the JSS Annual General Meeting 2021
Apply and submit proxy online JSS is inviting you the online Annual General Meeting 2021 via Zoom on Tuesday, August 24th, 2021. Anyone can participate, so take this opportunity to deepen your understanding of JSS’s activities and current situation. Please feel free to spread word to your friends and family. If you are a JSS […]
Announcing our Strategic Plan and Other Updates from the Board
１）Introducing our new Strategic Plan In the spring of 2020, JSS began to undertake our strategic planning to set our future directions. We are happy to announce our Strategic Directions 2021-2025, which sets three priority areas going forward: 1) enhance financial sustainability, 2) increase recognition in our community, and ultimately, 3) be the organisation that the community can count […]
JSS Program Report – Introducing Two New Programs Currently Underway
It is hard to believe that it has been almost a year since the Japanese Social Services (JSS) had to close down our in-person programs. We moved to online services for the very first time, and kept searching for what we could do while providing at least something and somewhere for the community members to gather tosee each other’s faces and live reactions so everyone could feel connected.
JSS counselling service – Mental health support
By Takanori Kuge JSS has been providing counselling services to clients for almost three decades. Being the only available counselling and social work agency where services are offered in both English and Japanese in GTA or in Ontario, the issues that are brought forward for consultation, understandably, extend to all areas of human endeavour. In other words, […]
President’s Message
By Yuka Sato-Atiyota It has already been a year since we started using the word “pandemic”. I am strongly hoping everyone is staying safe despite the extraordinary challenges and hardships imposed by this situation. First, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for your support to the 2020 Holiday Drive. I am very happy to inform you that it was a huge success this year again! Please see “Big Thanks from Holiday Drive […]
JSS report
Michelle ChibbaThe JSS Board of Directors had another busy year working with staff to ensure our organization continues to serve our community’s needs.Financial Stability We continue to keep the financial viability of JSS a priority. The board’s approach is to strictly manage expenditures and continue to keep on top of fundraising and meeting with existing and […]
The 21st Annual Holiday Drive
Japanese Social Services is starting its annual Holiday Drive Program. It is our hope that members of the community will continue to express their goodwill and caring by participating and contributing to this year’s Holiday Drive. In the past, the Holiday Drive has centered around the community gathering and donating various toys, gifts, and non-perishable […]
President’s Message – A Farewell
David Ikeda Dear members, volunteers, staff and board, it has been great honor and pleasure to serve as president of Japanese Social Services for these past five years. Together we have faced many challenges to deliver professional social services and counseling to our community. When Mr. Maekawa asked me to take on the job for […]
Updates from the Board
The Annual General Meeting of Japanese Social Services was held on August 25, 2020. This annual meeting is usually held in June, but due to the pandemic, it was postponed once and was held in a virtual format for the first time. Despite the circumstances, we are happy to report that the meeting proceeded smoothly, with more […]
Counsellors’ Report
By Takanori Kuge While I missed seeing everyone in person at this year’s AGM, it was nice to connect with new faces and familiar faces of the people attended the meeting. In this issue I’d like to describe a summary of the counsellors’ report that I presented in the AGM. [ Current trend ] While the total number of counselling service users […]
JSS Program Report – Transitioning to online format
Chie Takano Reeves (Community Outreach Worker / Volunteer Coordinator) As a result of the pandemic, we have been offering our programs via online formats while in-person programs have been paused since mid-March. Online service is to completely new to us, and it was very much challenging to learn and used to it to the point that we can provide sessions and teach our […]
Influenza Vaccine
Tomoko Fukushima, Registered Nurse Every year around the end of October, the flu-shot becomes available in Ontario. There are a few types of flu vaccines, but most clinics use two types – Quadrivalent flu vaccine for people from 6 months to 64 years of age, and Trivalent high dose flu vaccine for 65 years and older. According to […]
President’s Message
By David Ikeda I know these continue to be extremely challenging times for everyone. Personally speaking my sense of time has become somewhat off. Indeed, I actually begin each day by having to ask what day it is. It doesn’t help that as I write this message in May, it is actually snowing outside my […]
JSS Services During the Emergency Period
JSS continues to offer counselling and information services via the phone/internet. Further, during the State of Emergency, all JSS services will be offered free of charge for the people experiencing hardship related to COVID-19. All our programs are temporarily suspended; however, planning is underway to deliver some of the programs in an online format. 【Current […]