No More Children Just Watching: Certified NPO Caret Launches Project to Deliver an 'Ordinary Summer' for Kids Without School Lunches

The project will run from Saturday, July 18, 2026, to Monday, August 31, offering food support and events such as summer festivals led by children during the school break.

"I went to the festival, but I was just watching."

This child's words sparked the beginning of this project.

While friends bought food at stalls and enjoyed games, this child could not afford anything and could only watch.

Summer vacation should be a time when children play freely and create lasting memories.

However, with the absence of school lunches, household food expenses rise. Combined with inflation, many families are forced to give up on summer festivals and community events.

We believe no child should spend summer just watching. We want to deliver a summer where every child feels like a valued member of the community, smiling and participating.

The 'Ordinary' Summer Is Being Lost

While summer is a joyful season for children, it's also a time when disparities in meals and experiences widen due to economic conditions, disabilities, or lack of community ties.

Without school lunches, families face increased food costs. For single-parent households and others under financial strain, even securing daily meals can become difficult.

According to Kidsdoor, a certified NPO, their 2024 Summer Emergency Survey revealed:

- 32.2% of children eat two meals or fewer per day during summer break - 78% of households feel increased living expenses as a burden - 74% of households have given up on summer experiences due to financial reasons

Additionally, children with disabilities often face limited access to community events—not only due to financial constraints but also because of inadequate inclusive environments and support systems.

Eating. Playing. Feeling the season. Connecting with others in the community. Having a role to play.

These everyday experiences should be guaranteed as 'ordinary' for all children, regardless of family background or disability.

Caret does not aim to support only children with specific backgrounds in isolation. Instead, we want to create spaces where children with diverse circumstances can share meals and experiences together within the same community.

What Caret Wants to Deliver Is More Than Just 'Meals'

This project includes not only food support during summer break but also events like summer festivals where children run food stalls and game booths.

What matters most in these festivals is that children are not just 'participants' but active contributors in building the community.

Welcoming guests at stalls, managing game corners, hearing 'thank you'—each of these experiences helps children feel, 'I am part of this community.'

The festival brings together diverse participants: children from Caret's programs, local children, children from various family backgrounds, and community volunteers.

Our goal is not to create a 'festival for children with disabilities.'

We aim to build a community where all children—regardless of disability or family situation—naturally connect, get to know each other, and accept one another.

Having a role in the community and being thanked.

Being both someone who supports and someone who is supported.

Through such experiences, we hope to nurture a society where children feel, 'This is my place.'

Caret sees this festival not as a one-day event, but as the first step toward a society where everyone naturally belongs and shares ordinary moments of joy.

About the 'Ordinary Project'

The 'Ordinary Project' aims to deliver the 'ordinary' experiences every child should have.

The first phase delivered an 'Ordinary New Year,' providing children with traditional experiences like osechi meals, otoshidama (New Year's money), and seasonal games.

Now, the second phase is the 'Ordinary Summer.'

Eating. Playing. Having a role in the community.

We will deliver these fundamental experiences to every child.

Caret's Vision of 'Ordinary'

Since its founding in 2005, certified NPO Caret has been committed to 'creating safe, joyful spaces for everyone' through children's cafeterias, food pantries, disability support, and elderly care.

We believe support should not end with providing services. Our goal is for every child to live a vibrant, authentic life.

To achieve this, children must first be able to eat their fill and have a safe place to belong.

Equally important is accumulating experiences of connecting with the community, being acknowledged with 'thank you,' and feeling they have a role to play.

At Caret, we use food support as an entry point to offer counseling, safe spaces, community connections, and opportunities for children to grow with purpose and identity within their communities.

The 'Ordinary Project' was born from this philosophy.

The first 'Ordinary New Year' and now the second 'Ordinary Summer' are not just about delivering meals or seasonal fun.

Eating. Playing. Connecting with neighbors. Feeling needed.

We aim to co-create these 'ordinary' daily experiences with the community, so each moment builds children's sense of security, self-worth, and hope for the future.

Caret strives for a society where every child—regardless of disability or family background—can live authentically and thrive within their community.

Calling for 100 Supporters

Every individual's support helps protect children's 'ordinary' lives.

To sustain the 'Ordinary Project,' we are recruiting 100 supporters who can donate 3,000 yen or more.

Your donations will be used for:

- Food support during summer break - Child-led community events like summer festivals - Creating opportunities for community exchange

Reaching 100 supporters will empower Caret to continue delivering 'ordinary' experiences to children for years to come.

In Closing

What children need is not the experience of being pitied and helped.

They need the experience of having a role in the community, being thanked, and feeling, 'I belong here.'

Certified NPO Caret will continue working through the 'Ordinary Project' to create a society where children can proudly say, 'This summer was fun,' with smiles on their faces.

We would be grateful if this donation inspires you to continue watching and supporting Caret's mission.

Project Name Second Phase of the Ordinary Project: 'An Ordinary Summer'

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