2005 Kimochi Newsletter

WINTER 2005
Kimochi Presents Spirit Awards
to Community Organizations
Reprinted from Hokubei Mainichi
Japanese Community Youth Council, represented by Executive
Director Jon Osaki, received its award from Linda Ishii,
Kimochi Home coordinator. Nihonmachi Little Friends,
represented by Sutter Site Manager Mari Matsumoto, received
its award from Kimochi Program Director Anna Sawamura
Higaki. Satsuki Kai, a Japanese-speaking
women’s group
represented by
its incoming
president,
Fumiko Takashi,
received its
award from
Akemi
Yoshimoto, a
bilingual social
worker at
Kimochi. The
Golden Gate
Nisei Memorial Ladies
Auxiliary to Post 9879, VFW,
represented by its president,
Elaine Ikeda, received its award
from Shoji Horikoshi, chair of
Kimochi’s Board of Directors.
imochi Inc., which is celebrating its 34th anniversary this
year, recently presented Spirit Awards to local
organizations that have participated in its intergenerational
programs for over 20 years.
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Through these programs, which bring together people from
age 5 to 50 with Kimochi clients ranging in age
from 55 to 100, younger people learn respect and
appreciation for their elders. For example,
children’s groups often visit Kimochi Home to
entertain the residents.
Emceed by Judi
Nihei, former
director of the
Japantown Planning,
Preservation and
Development Task
Force, the program
was held at the
PG&E Energy Center
in San Francisco.
Opening remarks were made by
Travis Kiyota, manager of
government relations and public
affairs for PG&E, which
provided refreshments in
addition to the venue.
continued on page 2
Kimochi Creative Wellness Program
Providing classes in the visual and performing/movement arts and presents lectures and seminars of interest
to the senior community in San Francisco’s Japantown.
See page 6 for more information.
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Kimochi Presents Spirit Awards to Community Organizations
Entertainment was provided by the Kimochi singing class,
under the direction of Peko Yamaguchi, who provided
accompaniment on keyboard.
(continued from front page)
The honorees also received commendations from the Mayor’s
Office, presented by Kimochi Executive Director Steve Nakajo
in his capacity as a member of the Fire Commission; from the
Board of Supervisors, presented by Cheryl Brody, legislative
aide to Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, whose district includes
Japantown; and from Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-San
Francisco), presented by his field representative, Beverly Ng.
A raffle drawing was held for several prizes donated by local
businesses and individuals. The grand prize, two round-trip
tickets to Japan, was presented by Michiko Kumataka, director
of passenger marketing for Japan Airlines. Coincidentally, the
winner was NLF’s Matsumoto.
After the formal program, attendees enjoyed sweets from
Sugar Bowl Bakery.
A donation to Kimochi was presented by Union Bank of
California’s new president and chief executive officer, Takashi
Morimura. Horikoshi accepted the check.
In Memory of Roy Abbey
It was a special birthday for Roy Abbey.
Abbey, a long-time volunteer at Kimochi’s Nutrition Program, had his
100th birthday on April 11. In celebration of this momentous
occasion, Kimochi held a birthday party at the Nutrition Program for
Abbey before serving lunch that day.
Steve Nakajo, the executive director of Kimochi, was the emcee of
the short program. Nakajo said Abbey represented the “best of our
community.” He said Abbey already received a proclamation from
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.
Longtime Nutrition Program volunteer
Roy Abbey peacefully passed away on
October 24, 2005 at the age of 100.
This is the Nichi Bei Times article
written by reporter Kathy Aoki on
the celebration of his centennial
birthday celebration at Kimochi's
Nutrition site.
(Pictured above from left to right:
Sandy Mori, Anna Sawamura Higaki, Steve Ishii,
Steve Nakajo, Ross Mirkarimi and Roy.
Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who represents District 5, which covers
Japantown, was honored to meet Abbey and present him with a
proclamation signed by all the members of the San Francisco Board
of Supervisors.
Everyone sang “Happy Birthday” before he was helped by daughter
Ayako Yee to blow out the birthday candles on his two cakes.
Kimochi presented Abbey with a special yellow hat which said “Roy”
on it. Abbey would wear this lucky hat when he goes with his family
to Reno on April 12.
Abbey is a former barber who owned Roy’s Barber Shop for 60 years,
located for many years on Laguna Street. He also taught the Kimochi
ceramics class for more than 30 years.
But, Abbey is perhaps best known as being the greeter and the person
who helped seat you at the Kimochi Nutrition Program. His smile is
infectious and his positive attitude inspires others.
Abbey has two children, three grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.
This soft-spoken man had little to say but expressed his happiness in
being able to share the special day with family members, friends and
everyone who attends the Kimochi lunch program.
Photo by Barbara Hiura, Hokubei Mainichi.
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SF Network of Support for Community Living
re you looking to find a caregiver for yourself, a close
friend, relative or client? Want to know who offers
meal programs in the city of SF? Looking for affordable or
free legal services? Want to find the
nearest senior center? Well, look no
further. The Network of Support for
Community Living
(www.networkofsupport.org) provides a
comprehensive Service Directory of the
approximately 800 service providers in
San Francisco County, putting people in
touch with the services that most suit
their needs.
Support enables users to find what they’re looking for in a
matter of minutes. The site provides libraries that contain
vital information about health related disorders, pending
legislation and advocacy efforts, as well
as daily news articles from around the
world. The goal is to help San
Franciscans age and live with dignity.
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The site is fully ADA-compliant and
Bobby-approved. Users can access
Network of Support for Community
Living in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin,
Korean, Japanese, and Russian by
clicking on one of the links located at
the bottom of the home page.
To empower people with disabilities,
seniors and their caregivers, the
Network of Support for Community Living helps individuals
search for service providers, find assistive devices,
understand current policy initiatives, directly contact their
elected officials, and manage their affairs, interactions, and
important records. Combining relevant and in depth
information with an easy to navigate format, the Network of
For additional information about the
Network of Support, or to arrange a live presentation to
your group of 15 or more, please visit the website at
www.networkofsupport.org or contact Jennifer Coffey at the
Department of Aging and Adult Services at (415) 355-6787,
or via e-mail at daas@sfgov.org.
Kimochi, Inc. Budget for 2005 - 2006
Expenses
Sources of Funds
Grants/Foundations
$96,900 (4.72%)
General Donations
$108,213 (5.27%)
Interest Income
$300 (0.01%)
Fundraising Events/
Contributions
$214,908 (10.47%)
Contracts
$789,987 (38.48%)
Program Donations
$352,137 (17.15%)
Fees for Service
$490,530 (23.89%)
TOTAL: $2,052,975
TOTAL: $2,052,975
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2005 Kimochi Golf Tournament
Co-chairs for the Kimochi Golf Tournament, Jerry Kika and Lowell Kimura with the help of Donna Kimura, had a
successful tournament with 139 golfers, making a net profit $16,354, which was donated to Kimochi for services
including Transportation, Nutrition, Recreation, Educational Lectures, Respite
Care, Social Day Care, Residential Care, In Home Support and Social Services.
Once again, the tournament, held on Friday, September 16, 2005, was at the
Richmond Country Club. Kimochi is extremely grateful to the loyal golfers who
return year after year to play in this tournament, the many volunteers who help
plan and organize the tournament, those volunteers who help out on the day
of the tournament, those donors who donate raffle prizes, and those donors
who sponsor holes.
Kimochi Programs and Services
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A Message From
Executive Director Steve Nakajo
Kimochi Staff Directory
t's that time of the year to wish
you greetings, good wishes and
appreciation to all of you who have
supported and generously given
to Kimochi.
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Kimochi Administration
1715 Buchanan, San Francisco, CA 94115
Tel:(415) 931-2294 • Fax: (415) 931-2299
Steve Nakajo, Executive Director
Steve Ishii, Operations Director
Anna Sawamura Higaki, Program Director
Sandy Mori, Development Director
Rod Valdepenas, Controller
Ma Li Shen, Bookkeeper
Emily Hsieh, Administrative Assistant
Hiroka Akiyama, Receptionist
Riyo Kunisawa, Receptionist
Why did I choose to work for
Kimochi? My desire and passion still
comes from being able to support
cultural, language based programs
and services that serve the seniors in our community. The
definition of the Japanese American community is changing
and growing and expanding beyond all of our expectations.
Kimochi Senior Center
1840 Sutter Street #101, San Francisco, CA 94115
Tel: (415) 931-2287 • Fax: (415) 931-2299
The future is now for a lot of us aging "Baby Boomer"
Sanseis. Kimochi is actively participating in a Sansei "needs
assessment," working with a whole network of Japanese
American senior agencies and facilities throughout the
State of California, in order to be ready with services and
programs for us graying "Baby Boomers.” It is called the
Providing Information To Help Our Nikkei Seniors
(PITHONS) Project and involves research, assessment and
identification of state-wide resources for a reference guide
of Japanese American senior centers and facilities in
Sacramento, San Francisco, the East Bay, San Jose, Fresno,
Los Angeles and San Diego.
Natalia Covacha, Nutritionist
Rich Tokeshi, Transportation Coordinator
Akitoshi Takazawa, Head Cook
Akio Kudo, Assistant Cook
Junko Sakita, Assistant Cook
Grace Yip, Assistant Cook
Pamela Hong, Administrative Assitant
Samuel Salazar, Driver
Dave Sugaya, Home Delivery Driver
Justin Ng, Nutrition Assistant
Yan Bin Jiang, Dishwasher
Rolando Samson, Dishwasher
Social Services
1715 Buchanan Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
Tel: (415) 931-2275 • Fax: (415) 931-2299
I was energized this year by the participation of young
people who are volunteering at the Kimochi Nutrition
Program, at Kimochi Home, and various Kimochi
fundraisers. The energy of the Yonsei and other young
folks who participated and performed at Sansei Live! 2005
was especially gratifying. It was a great evening to witness
our children who are now young adults wanting to
contribute to Kimochi and give back to our community.
Sango Harumi, Social Services Coordinator
Akemi Yoshimoto, Social Worker
Eric Sung Mo Chung, District Wide Social Worker
Kimochi Home
1531 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
Tel: (415) 922-9972 • Fax: (415) 922-6821
Linda Ishii, Kimochi Home Coordinator
Grace Fujimoto, Assistant Residential Coordinator
Atsuko Hasegawa, Program Assistant
Dorcas Hautea, Program Assistant
Tomoko Nakai, Program Assistant
Yukie Takano, Program Assistant
Pei Fen Tsai, Program Assistant
Mercedes Hernandez, Program Assistant
Teruko Turner, Program Assistant
Michiko Turks, Program Assistant
Tsoodol Altantuya, Program Assistant
Jesus De La Cruz, Janitor
A lot of change and adjustments, but one thing remains the
same - the importance of providing the best quality services
to our elders - that is Kimochi's mission, that is my mission.
– Steve Nakajo
Executive Director, Kimochi, Inc.
Kimochi Lounge
1581 Webster Street #202, San Francisco, CA 94115
Tel: (415) 563-5626 • Fax: (415) 931-2299
Kimochi is always in need of volunteers and sponsors for
these fundraising events. Please consider helping Kimochi
with these events. Please call Sandy Mori at (415)674-0219
to find out how you can help.
Al Gordon, SCSEP Staff
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Kimochi Creative Wellness Program
imochi, Inc. is pleased to announce a new program
located in San Francisco’s Japantown. Called the
Kimochi Creative Wellness Program, it provides classes in
the visual and performing/movement arts and presents
lectures and seminars of interest to the senior community.
From the beginning,
Kimochi, Inc. has
provided arts activities
for seniors with the
belief that creative
expression benefits
physical and mental
well-being and can
enhance and support a
healthy and
independent lifestyle.
Through the Creative
Wellness Program,
Kimochi continues its
mission to support the quality of
life of this growing population of
active, independent seniors. This
program has received $16,000 in
funding from the San Francisco
Arts Commission in support of
its efforts in the area of
multidisciplinary arts and
community outreach. Art
demonstrations and exhibits of
individual artwork from the
program will be presented at
different public venues in 2006.
Class participants vary from active seniors to the frail
Kimochi Home residential-care and day-care clients with
projects that encourage and improve hand-eye coordination,
provide fun and mental stimulation, and enhance selfesteem through artistic discovery. In anticipation of an
expanding senior population, this program is committed
to providing the type of support that is so valuable in our
later years, serving seniors in the Japanese American and
Japanese-speaking communities, as well as any interested
seniors in San Francisco.
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The Kimochi, Inc. staff involved in this program are Anna
Sawamura, Program Director, and art instructors Angie
Chan, Yoshiko Fujimoto, Akie Karahashi, Dyanna Louie,
Etsuko Sakimura, Atsuko Sells, Takeko Seto, and Peko
Yamaguchi, with program
coordinator Kathryn Ferrier.
Classes include ceramics,
Japanese traditional dance,
calligraphy, crafts,
Qi Gong, hula dance, arts &
crafts, and singing, and are
free of charge. The artists had
their debut exhibit at the
2005 Sansei Live!, which was
held on Friday, October 21,
2005, from 6:30 pm, at the
Presidio Officers' Club.
For more information, contact:
Kathryn Ferrier, Kimochi, Inc.
1715 Buchanan Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
Tel: (415) 931-2294 • Fax: (415) 931-2299 or
Email: kimochikai@kimochi-inc.org
A Generous Gift to Kimochi, Inc.
She was very appreciative of the Kimochi services
provided to her husband Tosh's family. Additionally,
she wanted to serve as a model for philanthropy in
the community.
n August, 2005, Kimochi, Inc. Board Chairman Shoji
Horikoshi and Executive Director Steve Nakajo
announced the generous contribution of $25,000 to
Kimochi, Inc. from the late Carolyn Lee Mitsuda, who
died on July 19, 2005 at the age of 61 from a prolonged
illness. This large gift was presented to Mr. Nakajo the
day prior to her death. Her desire was to make an impact
on the organization by decreasing any organizational
debts and for the organization's capacity to be here for
the future.
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In Mr. Nakajo's Words of Remembrance at Carolyn's
funeral service, he stated:
"It's important to focus on the character of Carolyn.
She wanted to be a role model – to be positive – to tell
her friends a message – to make an impact – to make
a difference."
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Kimochi Fundraising Activities
Transportation Safety Award
2005 Sansei Live!
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he Kimochi, Inc. Transportation Program has been
awarded the 2005 Excellence in Safety Award by the
Non-Profits United Vehicle Insurance Pool. The award,
which includes a monetary award of $1,500, marks the
third time Kimochi's drivers have been recognized for
their outstanding service. Non-Profits United is a selfinsurance group for nonprofit organizations, whose
mission is to provide quality and cost-effective pooled
risk coverage.
Wellness display at
Sansei Live!
Our current drivers
are Richard Tokeshi,
Director of
Transportation, and
Samuel Salazar.
Volunteers stuffing
envelopes
Volunteers at Sansei Live!
Silver Bells Arts & Crafts Faire
hoppers were able to escape the
holiday madness by shopping at
Silver Bells Arts & Crafts Faire on
Sunday, December 4th, at the Radisson
Miyako Hotel in San Francisco's
Japantown. This free one-day event
featured handcrafted items made by
more than 40 talented Asian and Pacific Islander artisans,
including plenty of unique, one-of-a-kind items and an
assortment of jewelry and Asian-influenced fashion apparel
and accessories.
Jeong, Quilt Styles of Hawaii, Rosehip, Sansei Fashions LLC,
Sew Asian, Shimada Styles, Shiro Designs, Teri Kadani, Tobi
Creations, Waka Ozawa and You Shan Tang.
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There were three raffle drawings throughout the day. People
were able to purchase raffle tickets or shop to earn free raffle
tickets by spending $25 or more. Prizes were donated by
participating vendors
and the Radisson
Miyako Hotel.
This year, children
had a chance to take a
picture with Santa and
decorate gingerbread
cookies, specially
made by Japantown’s
Yasukochi’s Sweet
Stop Bakery.
Participating vendors included Kimochi Arts & Crafts,
Kimochi Ceramics, Aloha Current, Arlene Hoshi, Asian Gift
Designs, Asian Pair, Chizu's Creations, Collette Kondo,
Creative Accents, Creative Alternatives, Da Kine Hawaiian
Stuff, Dardie Ishida, EH Mead Instrument, Ellen Nakai &
Friends, Four Yams, Gilda & Co., Golden Gate Art Club,
Goo Enterprise, Island Cloud, Island Creations, J. Sugihara,
JCCCNC, Kawaii Kreations, KDFerrier, Kiyome Matsukawa,
Komachi, Lanna’s Crafts, Laura Takeuchi, Gale Uchiyama &
Lynn Nihei, Leslie Designs, Made In Hawaii, Patricia K.
Silver Bells was a
wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit and support
Kimochi, Inc., too!
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NONPROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
P A I D
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
PERMIT NO. 2764
1715 Buchanan Street • San Francisco, CA 94115
Kimochi, Inc. Board of Directors 2005
Shoji Horikoshi, Chairperson
Roy H. Ikeda, Vice Chairperson
Mark Moriguchi, Treasurer
Mary Ishisaki, Secretary
Shinobu Horikiri
Richard J. Moore, M.D.
Benh Nakajo
Thomas T. Ogawa, D.D.S.
Silvie Thang
John Umekubo, M.D.
Michael Yamaguchi
Hisao Inouye, Honorary Board Member
Kimochi Home brochure
now available in Japanese
Mailing List
If you would like to be on our mailing list,
please contact Emily Hsieh at (415) 931-2294.
imochi social worker, Akemi Yoshimoto, helped to
create and translate the Kimochi Home brochure into
Japanese, with a specific emphasis on Japanese cultural
activities and photographs to reach out to the Japanesespeaking community. The Japanese brochure was made
possible by the Pacific Asian American Women Bay Area
Coalition (PAAWBAC) through its 2005 Catalyst Fund
Mentoring Program. Printing of the brochure was funded
by Pacific Gas and Electric Company. NDD Creative
provided the design and production.
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www.kimochi-inc.org
Visit our website at for more information
about our various programs and services.
Japanese Translation
This newsletter is available in Japanese.
Please call (415) 931-2294.
Design and Produced by Naganuma Design & Direction. www.nddcreative.com
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