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 […]
Pandemic within a Pandemic: Domestic Violence and Abuse
Junko Mifune The increase of domestic violence (DV), child abuse, and elder abuse during the current COVID-19 pandemic has been reported across the world, including Canada. Under the current measures taken to combat the spread of COVID-19, victims and abusers are inevitably spending more time together at home. The additional likelihood of abusers experiencing more […]
JSS Delivers Hand-Made Masks to Seniors
Since the pandemic began, we have been as busy, if not more so, responding to the community needs. In April, we have delivered food and other items generously donated by Oomomo, a Japanese variety store, to our client families. Oomomo again contacted us in May, this time with an offer of mask donations. The masks are in the process of being […]
Updates from the Board
Welcome New Board Members! JSS welcomed two new members on our Board of Directors. Their profiles are below. Welcome Aaron and Yoko! Aaron Benjamin Mollin Aaron Benjamin Mollin is a Tokyo-based lawyer and executive search consultant, who is also engaged in myriad creative endeavors—from DJing, to fashion design. Aaron grew up in Toronto, but has […]
Making Wills and Powers of Attorney While Social-Distancing in the COVID-19 Pandemic
Nozomi (Zoe) Smith Lawyer, Pallett Valo LLP In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we realize more than ever the importance of having our proper documents in place to prepare for your “what-ifs”. Those documents are (i) Will, (ii) Continuing Power of Attorney for Property, and (iii) Power of Attorney for Personal Care. At the […]
JSS Needs Your Support
As JSS continues to work for those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic, your generous support is needed more than ever. With our key fundraising opportunities such as the Toronto Challenge Charity Marathon being cancelled, we are experiencing a difficult financial situation. Please consider donating to help us support our community via cheques, online transfers, […]
Counselling fees updaetd
With generous supports from the community and funders, JSS has been able to provide high-quality counselling service by qualified, bilingual (Japanese – English) counsellors at extremely low user fees for many years. Based on a user survey outcome and recent consultation with internal and external experts, we have come to a conclusion that it is […]
COUNSELLOR’S CORNER: JSS Services in Aging Community
Takanori Kuge The population of Japanese Canadians, even “Newer” Japanese Canadians, is aging. This fact is reflected in the cases that I have been dealing with in our counselling services. We have seen an increase in the number of cases involving senior’s issues. For clinical issues such as dementia and various mental disorders, JSS provides […]
Big Thanks from Holiday Drive 2019
Big Thanks from Holiday Drive 2019 Thank you for your generous support of our 2019 Holiday Drive. The Holiday Drive program was able to receive a variety of gifts and donations as the heartfelt expressions of goodwill from community members. These donations were successfully delivered to 25 families, consisting of 60 individuals including many children […]
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: Updates from David Ikeda
We have finished a busy summer here at JSS. Since the July issue of the newsletter, we have welcomed another new board member, Tomoko Fukushima, hosted our Volunteer Appreciation Lunch, and begun one of our most important annual fundraising campaigns, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. I do not say “important” lightly. JSS relies on financial […]