Learning for All Partners with yutori to Deliver 'The Choice is Yours' to Children in Need Nationwide

NPO Learning for All (Location: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Hyung Sik Lee, hereinafter "LFA") has partnered with yutori Inc. (Location: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Takanobu Kataishi, hereinafter "yutori") to deliver approximately 1,000 new clothing items to children facing difficulties nationwide. In collaboration with child support organizations in 11 prefectures, from Hokkaido to Okinawa, the distribution took place between June and July 2026.

"MY CHOICE PROJECT" marks the start of this collaboration with yutori and will continue as a new initiative to provide children nationwide with the "experience of choosing."

Background: Children Deprived of the 'Experience of Choosing' in Their Daily Lives

The issue of child poverty is not merely about a lack of money or material possessions. Through its work with children facing difficulties, LFA has encountered a reality where the "experience of choosing"—such as saying "I like this," "I want to do this," and having those feelings valued—is being taken away unnoticed in their daily lives.

While support items are crucial for children in difficult circumstances, it is also true that the donated items are often secondhand, and children may not be able to choose the size or design of clothing. This situation can lead children to develop a mindset of being "recipients of what is given" and not being in a "position to choose."

The accumulation of "experiences of choosing" fosters self-esteem, builds relationships, and forms the foundation for the ability to forge one's own future. The disparity in these experiences can, in the long run, contribute to the perpetuation of poverty across generations, a problem that is not easily visible.

LFA believes that the essence of child poverty lies not only in visible hardship but also in this reality of children being "deprived of the experience of choosing" in their daily lives.

This Initiative: Collaboration with yutori, Theme: "Clothing"

When LFA discussed this concern with Takanobu Kataishi, the representative of yutori and a former student volunteer for LFA, he immediately offered his company's sponsorship.

yutori's corporate philosophy is "TURN STRANGER TO STRONGER," embodying the idea that individuals should transform their differences and individuality into strengths. The company has always valued each person's uniqueness through fashion. Kataishi's desire to "support children's futures through the power of fashion" aligned with LFA's concerns, leading to the decision to deliver the "experience of choosing" to children nationwide through new clothing.

A key aspect of the distribution was to create an environment where children could pick out clothes themselves, rather than simply receiving them. At each distribution site, the handover format was carefully designed in collaboration with the respective organizations to allow children to freely browse and select clothing. LFA staff also visited some of the sites to witness children choosing clothes. The observations and insights gained there are considered invaluable for improving future activities.

Project Overview

Period: April - July 2026

Regions: 11 Prefectures Nationwide

1 organization in Hokkaido / 3 in Tohoku / 1 in Kanto / 1 in Chubu / 1 in Kansai / 1 in Chugoku-Shikoku / 10 in Kyushu-Okinawa (some overlap)

Number of Participating Organizations: 16

Number of Items Distributed: Approx. 1,000

Organizer: NPO Learning for All

Sponsor: yutori Inc. (Clothing donations)

Scenes from the Distribution

Children and staff selecting clothes

Children and staff selecting clothes

LFA staff selecting clothes with children

*All photos are published with the consent of the children and their guardians, and with privacy protection measures in place.

List of Participating Organizations (In no particular order, titles omitted)

Muginoko Social Welfare Corporation http://www.muginoko.com/

ASUKU NPO http://asuiku.org/

STORIA Certified NPO https://www.storia.or.jp/

Beans Fukushima NPO https://beans-fukushima.or.jp/

Echizen Self-Support Association Social Welfare Corporation http://www4.ttn.ne.jp/e-jiritu/entrance.html

Uminokoterasu NPO https://www.uminokoterasu.com/

Iruka NPO http://npo-irukanet.com/

Okinawa Youth Independence Support Center Churayui Certified NPO https://www.churayui.org/

Kokorohukuyoka https://kokorohukuyoka.themedia.jp/

Fukuoka International Citizen Association General Incorporated Association https://fira2023.my.canva.site/home

Holon General Incorporated Association https://www.holon-fukuoka.com/

Myojoji Danchi Community Activity Planning

Kumamoto Prefecture Single Parent Family Welfare Council Tetotetote Social Welfare Corporation https://tetotetote.kumamoto.jp/

ARU General Incorporated Association https://sokoniaru2021.wixsite.com/website

Kodomo Shokudo Yokayoka Net https://www.facebook.com/yokayokanet/?locale=ja_JP

Fukuoka City Single Parent Family Welfare Association https://www.instagram.com/fuk_hitorioya/

Voices from the Field

Children's Voices

"It was fun to change my look with a different design than what I usually buy, and my friends were surprised."(1st year junior high)

"I usually only choose white, black, or blue, but since it was an opportunity, I tried yellow, which I don't normally pick." (15 years old)

"I'm happy that I can express my individuality." (2nd year high school)

Voices from Participating Organization Staff

"The reaction exceeded our expectations. It was heartwarming to see the children enjoying themselves, combining the clothes they received with the clothes they already owned to create fashion shows."

"At our drop-in center for junior high and high school students, we laid out the clothes on tables so the children could choose items they liked. Initially, many children were hesitant, but with encouragement from the staff, some started trying on clothes, while others chose them while playfully interacting with friends. We saw expressions we don't usually see."

"I believe this experience helped the children discover what they 'like,' encounter new designs, and broaden their horizons by thinking, 'Maybe this could be good too!'"

Voices from LFA Staff

"I visited a child support organization and witnessed the distribution of items to children at a food pantry. When they learned they could choose new clothes they liked, the faces of the children and their guardians lit up. During the actual selection process, it was memorable to see children and guardians discussing, 'Will this size fit?' or 'I want a hat!' as they carefully considered their choices."

Representative's Comments

Hyung Sik Lee, Representative Director, NPO Learning for All

We believe that the core of "child poverty" lies not just in the lack of money or material goods, but in the "disparity of experiences" that lies beneath it. Among children facing difficulties, there are those who do not have the opportunity to make their own decisions, to choose, or to have their "likes" valued as a normal part of their daily lives.

What we wanted to deliver through this project was not just the clothing itself, but the joy of choosing for oneself, the feeling of "I like this," and the opportunity to encounter a sense of being able to be oneself. We hope that the simple act of choosing a piece of clothing will serve as a catalyst for children to believe that "it's okay to choose for myself" and "it's okay to value my feelings," and that the accumulation of these experiences will empower them to forge their own futures.

We express our sincere gratitude to yutori for their immediate cooperation upon hearing of our concerns, and to our partner organizations nationwide who have supported each child individually to deliver this project.

Personally, I am also very happy to have started this project with the people at yutori. About 10 years ago, President Kataishi was a volunteer at LFA, working with children. Fueled by encounters with children, his passion has evolved over time, leading us to confront the social issue of child poverty again from our respective positions, resulting in this new challenge. This project has also been an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of such connections.

— We want to continue to nurture these connections with our colleagues and build a future for children together.

This initiative is just the first step. We will continue to expand our efforts to deliver "experiences of choosing" in collaboration with child support organizations and companies across the country, while also cherishing the connections with like-minded individuals who share this vision.

Takanobu Kataishi, President and CEO, yutori Inc.

Our days are a continuous series of "choices."

Choosing to "do" something is a choice, and choosing "not to do" it is also a choice. While we often talk about positive and active choices, stopping, quitting, or deliberately not choosing are also choices in themselves.

Life is gradually woven together by the accumulation of these choices, both large and small. The realization that "I chose this myself," regardless of the outcome, empowers us to take ownership of that life. I believe this to be true.

However, the "experience of choosing," which seems so natural, is not equally available to all children. After hearing from LFA, I was reminded that there are children who have fewer opportunities to choose in their daily lives.

yutori's philosophy is "TURN STRANGER TO STRONGER"—the belief that one should turn their differences and individuality into strengths, not weaknesses. At its root is a trust in the feeling of "I like this" and the freedom to choose it with one's own hands. Fashion is not a predetermined answer given by others, but something each person chooses and wears for themselves. Therefore, we thought we might be able to contribute.

We sincerely hope that the clothing items delivered this time will become "clothes chosen by the children themselves." We hope that the accumulation of these small choices will provide a modest push for them to create their own lives with their own hands in the future.

Finally, a brief personal note.

Actually, I myself was one of those who faced children as a volunteer at Learning for All during my student days. The attitude I learned then—to face challenges without looking away, and the way the organization valued each individual—continues to live on in the roots of yutori, albeit in a different form.

Having built yutori on the foundation of what I learned there, and gradually gaining strength, I am now able to work with LFA as a provider. I am deeply honored to be involved in giving back in this way, returning to the place where I once stood.

Beyond the path I chose, another day awaits to support someone else's "choice." Choices indeed have power—I believe this.

About "MY CHOICE PROJECT": Towards Continuous Initiatives Beyond Clothing

"MY CHOICE PROJECT" is an initiative that LFA will continue to develop, extending beyond the current clothing distribution. Through various themes such as clothing, food, and experiences, the project aims to increase opportunities for children to experience choosing for themselves and having that choice respected, rather than simply receiving material goods.

Through its approximately 12 years of activity, LFA has built relationships with child support organizations nationwide. The mechanism of this project is to deliver goods and experiential opportunities provided by companies and organizations to children across the country through this network. By leveraging LFA's network, the intentions of our partners can reach children nationwide who might not have been accessible by a single company.

Companies and organizations interested in sponsoring or cooperating with this project are invited to contact us via the link below.

→ https://learningforall.or.jp/contact/

About NPO Learning for All

With the mission of "fundamentally solving child poverty," LFA provides learning and living support, creates safe spaces, and offers meals to children facing difficulties. In collaboration with various local stakeholders, LFA works to establish "connections," "learning environments," and "nurturing environments," promoting the development of a "community-based comprehensive child support" model where all necessary support and opportunities are available within the living sphere of children aged 6 to 18. The goal is to expand this model nationwide and realize a society where all children can believe in their own potential and forge their own paths in life.

Details here → https://learningforall.or.jp/about/