Matching Grants Program for 2010

UPDATE JAN 25 -- Seventeen individuals, most representing nonprofit organizations and groups, attended our community meeting today to learn about our matching grants program and to share their questions and feedback. The Q&A session proved to be very useful in identifying areas in our submission guidelines that need more clarification. Many of the questions asked by participants require further review by the board and we'll be sharing the additional information with those who attended today's meeting and also through revisions in the matching grants program submission guidelines. While we're working on those additional details, we've opened up the applications process for organizations and groups wishing to be considered for the matching grants program.

The San Francisco Japantown Foundation will announce details of its 2010 matching grants program at a community meeting on Monday, January 25, at 4 p.m. in the Union Bank Japantown branch conference room, 1674 Post Street, San Francisco.

Like many nonprofit organizations, the Foundation was affected by the severe economic downturn and was unable to provide grants in 2009.  For 2010, organizations selected by the Foundation will be asked to match the amount of money given to them by the Foundation from other individual or corporate resources.

The San Francisco Japantown Foundation envisions a Japantown that inspires respect for the past, embrace of the present, and a commitment to a place and a community that is culturally vibrant, prosperous, safe, inclusive, engaging, and attractive to residents and to visitors. The Foundation was formed in December 2006 through generous initial endowments by Kintetsu Enterprises of America, the late Jack Hirose, and Hats and Amey Aizawa. The Foundation has since received additional donations from Minami Tamaki LLP, Union Bank and other benefactors.

The foundation's mission is to support cultural, community and educational activities for San Francisco Japantown. We are dedicated to preserving and honoring Japantown's history, to welcoming and serving its residents, visitors, businesses, congregations and community organizations, and to supporting the growth and development of the community. In particular, we support activities that reflect the Japanese American experience, and activities that engage Japanese of all generations and experiences in America.

Foundation board members will share details of the matching grants program at the Jan. 25 community meeting. Attendance at the meeting is not a requirement for being accepted into the matching grants program, but it's highly recommended so prospective applicants have a chance to ask questions.

Those unable to attend the meeting will be able to download a matching grants program packet from this website after Jan. 25.

The Foundation is requesting RSVPs to the Jan. 25 meeting by emailing names and organizational affiliations by Jan. 22 to info@sfjapantownfoundation.org. Contact board member Keith Kamisugi at keith@keithpr.com or 415-874-5550 with any questions.

Media can download this text in a DOC file at http://www.box.net/shared/44ljytuge7.

Mourning the Passing of Jack Hirose

UPDATE: Services for Jack Hirose will be held on Thursday, December 31, from 11 a.m. at Ashley & McMullen Funerals, 4200 Geary Boulevard (and Sixth), San Francisco.

The San Francisco Japantown Foundation mourns the loss of our board member Jack Hirose, who passed away on Christmas Day. We honor Jack's great legacy from his contributions as a local businessman and as one of the community's most generous philanthropists. The Foundation wishes to express our deepest condolences to the Hirose family. Information on services pending.

Profile: Cherry Blossom Festival

A KTSF video showing highlights of the 2009 Cherry Blossom Festival. one of the recepients of our 2008 grants.

Profile: Children’s Day Festival

The Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC) presents Kristi Yamaguchi’s Children’s Day Festival in Japantown to be held on Saturday, May 2nd , at San Francisco’s Japan Center Peace Plaza (Post and Buchanan Street) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

An Olympic figure skating Gold Medalist and World Champion, Kristi Yamaguchi is a deep believer in youth programs. Though she is unable to attend this year due to a prior commitment, Kristi supports the Children’s Day Festival in Japantown as she believes in inspiring and embracing the hopes and dreams of children. “I am disappointed that my family and I won’t be able to attend this year’s festival. We had so much fun when we attended in 2007! I support the

JCCCNC’s efforts to help promote and educate families on the traditions of Children’s Day but most importantly because it gives children an opportunity to participate in the community and celebrate their youth,” said Yamaguchi.

The festival will provide an opportunity for youth to experience Japanese culture and celebrate Children’s Day, a national holiday of Japan. Children can participate in hands-on craft activities, snack on arare popcorn, spam musubi and other treats hosted by organizations such as Asobi Arts, Clarendon Elementary School, the California Highway Patrol, Christ United Presbyterian Church, the JCCCNC, JCCCNC Bambi Parent Group, Japanese Community Youth Council, Nichi Bei Times, Nakayoshi, Nihonmachi Little Friends, Pine United Methodist Church, Rosa Parks JBBP, Sakura of America, St. Ignatius High School and Xperience.

Throughout the day, special children’s entertainment will be provided by ABC Pre School, Gen Taiko/Clarendon Taiko, International Association of Taka Age, JCCCNC Hula, JCCCNC Ukulele Players, Kirakiraboshi Choir, Michiya Hanayagi Dance Group, Nikkei Student Union (UC Berkeley), San Francisco Kendo Association and SambAsia. Children can also meet anime characters like Sailor Moon courtesy of Mr. Tak Onishi and Japan Video and Media.

Traditional Boy’s Day (Tango no Sekku) and Girl’s Day (Hinamatsuri) doll exhibits will be on display from April 22nd to May 4th at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC). Please call for more information if you would like to visit.

The event is supported by The Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation, The San Francisco Japantown Foundation, Japan Airlines, Comcast and Union Bank of California. Event partners include the Consulate General of Japan, Sakura of America, Sanrio, Inc. and Viz Media.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information on the festival, contact the JCCCNC at (415) 567-5505, or visit the website at www.jcccnc.org.

Diane Matsuda Foundation Board

At it's monthly meeting, the San Francisco Japantown Foundation board of directors unanimously elected Diane Matsuda as a member, effective immediately. Diane is Executive Director of the John Burton Foundation for Children Without Homes, a non-profit organization based in San Francisco dedicated to improving the quality of life for California’s homeless children and developing policy solutions to prevent homelessness.

She was previously Executive Officer of the California Cultural and Historical Endowment, charged with developing a $122 million grant program to preserve historic and cultural resources emphasizing the stories of the diverse peoples of California. Before that, Diane was Director of the California State Library’s California Civil Liberties Public Education Program (CCLPEP), a grant program whose focus is the infringement of Japanese Americans’ civil liberties during World War II. A native San Franciscan, Diane Matsuda earned her Juris Doctorate from Hastings College of the Law in 1989. Before joining the California State Library as CCLPEP Program Manager, Matsuda was International Coordinator for the California International Relations Foundation in Sacramento and Staff Attorney for Nihonmachi Legal Outreach in San Francisco.