"I don't need a birthday cake" - About 70% of children are considerate of their parents, and in about 50% of families unable to afford a cake, birthdays are celebrated with "just a word of congratulations"

Certified NPO Charity Santa (Tokyo) launched the "Share Cake" project in 2021 to deliver birthday cakes free of charge to families facing economic hardship, marking its 5th anniversary this year. To commemorate this milestone, they conducted their first-ever survey of families who have used Share Cake (1,844 households responded). The results revealed that before receiving support, 71% of children in these families showed "hesitation or restraint" regarding birthday celebrations, while after receiving support, 93% of children showed "positive changes."

Share Cake delivers birthday cakes through local Western confectionery shops, funded by donations from supporters nationwide. Since its launch in 2021, over 17,000 cakes have been delivered (*1). This year, to mark the 5th anniversary, they are seeking support through a crowdfunding campaign with the goal of "delivering birthday cakes to 10,000 children."

Project HP: https://sharecake.charity-santa.com/ Crowdfunding Details: https://camp-fire.jp/projects/941945/view

*1. For areas without partner stores, delivery is also arranged through the specialized online cake store "Cake.jp."

Survey Results Overview

The survey found that 71% of children showed "hesitation" about their birthdays, and 72% of families stated they would not have been able to purchase a cake without Share Cake. Approximately 1 in 4 households reported that their children told them, "I don't need a cake." Furthermore, among the families who answered they "could not afford to buy a cake" (1,319 households), 51% said that their birthdays were celebrated with "just a word of congratulations and a regular meal."

After receiving support, 93% of children showed positive changes such as "more smiles" and "becoming more cheerful," and 90% reported improvements in parent-child relationships. Additionally, 73% of guardians who received a cake felt the joy of "seeing their child smile," and 30% felt a "reduction in feelings of isolation." Moreover, 90% of guardians had a more positive image of society, with 54% stating they "want to give back someday," indicating that the support is leading to a chain of goodwill.

Main Survey Findings

【Survey Result 1】Before support, 71% of children showed "hesitation" about their birthdays

Said "I don't need a cake": 28%

Chose cheaper items due to awareness of household finances, even if they wanted something else: 49%

Showed signs of watching their parents' reactions: 16%

Only 28% did not show "hesitation," with 71% of children exhibiting some form of hesitation.

(Other: 7%, No answer: 1%, Multiple answers allowed, n=1844)

<Voices from Families>

"My older son told me to celebrate his younger sister, and my younger daughter told me to celebrate her older brother. They were both considerate of each other, and I always ended up crying." (Parent of a first-year high school student and a sixth-grade elementary school student, Osaka Prefecture)

"I've lied and said I wanted something cheap even though I wanted something else. My sons seemed to understand we didn't have money, so they never mentioned presents or cakes." (Parent of a vocational school student, junior college student, university student, and a first-year high school student, Saitama Prefecture)

"I heard them telling themselves that different families are different, and it broke my heart." (Parent of a fourth-grade elementary school student, Tokyo)

【Survey Result 2】51% of families unable to provide a cake celebrated birthdays with "just a word of congratulations"

Families who answered they "would not have purchased a cake" without Share Cake: 72% (1,319 households)

Among families who answered they "would not have purchased a cake," 51% celebrated birthdays by "just saying 'Congratulations' and having a regular meal."

When all respondents were asked, "How would you have spent your child's birthday without Share Cake?"

Worried about how to manage household finances to buy a birthday cake: 43%

Felt down about not being able to buy a cake and only being able to say "Congratulations": 24%

Felt gloomy about not being able to buy a cake and not being able to celebrate the celebration: 18%

These results indicate that Share Cake is not just material support but also provides emotional support for guardians in financially struggling families.

(Other: 8%, No answer: 3%, n=1844)

"I would consider buying a cake right up to the last minute, cutting back on welfare benefits, but in reality, I think we wouldn't have been able to buy one. We're already living on a tight budget, so there's no more room to cut back."

(Parent of a sixth-grade and fourth-grade elementary school student, Miyagi Prefecture)

"I would have felt apologetic and pathetic about not being able to properly celebrate my child's birthday, which is an event they look forward to. I would have thought, 'My child would have been happier if we weren't such a terrible family,' and felt miserable and sad, thinking I was a truly useless and bad mother."

(Parent of a second-year high school student and a second-grade elementary school student, Niigata Prefecture)

"I think I would have apologized for not having money and we would have eaten the same meal as usual, so I think my child would have felt sorry for me."

(Parent of a third-grade elementary school student, Tokyo)

【Survey Result 3】After using Share Cake, 93% of children showed "positive changes." Parent-child relationships improved in 90% of cases.

Guardians who answered, "My child showed positive changes": 93%

Specific changes (top): "More smiles," "Became more cheerful," "Became more positive."

Guardians who answered, "Parent-child relationship showed positive changes": 90%

Specific changes in parent-child relationships: "More conversations," "Child's hesitation decreased."

It appears that the experience of being celebrated by society on their birthday has a positive impact not only on the child but on the entire family.

(Multiple answers allowed, n=1714)

"I think the image that their birthday would be celebrated specially and wholeheartedly has become established, making my daughter feel that her own existence is valued."

(Parent of a fifth-grade elementary school student, Kanagawa Prefecture)

"We had more conversations like, 'It's nice that strangers help us.'"

(Parent of a vocational school student, junior college student, university student, and a sixth-grade elementary school student, Hyogo Prefecture)

"It comes up in conversation a few times a year as a memory."

(Parent of a third-grade elementary school student, Tokyo)

【Survey Result 4】73% felt "joy of seeing their child smile," 30% felt "reduction in feelings of isolation."

When asked about their feelings upon receiving the cake:

Felt happy to see my child's heartfelt smile: 73%

Felt relieved because I had the parental desire to "celebrate my child": 56%

Felt a reduction in the isolation of knowing "there are people in society who care about us": 30%

Free-text responses also included many messages expressing a sense of connection with society. Share Cake contributes not only to economic support but also to alleviating the emotional loneliness and isolation of guardians.

(Other: 2%, No answer: 1%, Up to 2 multiple answers allowed, n=1844)

"For single parents juggling childcare, work, and housework every day, it's truly appreciated because while they want to celebrate, they may not even have time to go buy a cake. I hope this support, allowing children to enjoy delicious cake without having to hold back on their birthdays, continues."

(Parent of a vocational school student, junior college student, university student, and a second-year high school student, Shimane Prefecture)

"Until now, both my child and I have had painful birthdays because we couldn't celebrate them, but with this support, my child was able to have a joyful experience and not come to dislike their own birthday."

(Parent of a first-year high school student, Hyogo Prefecture)

"I was surprised and deeply moved that there are people doing such activities in this harsh world. While we often face harsh judgment from society, the existence of such kind people warms my heart."

(Parent of a preschooler, Hyogo Prefecture)

【Survey Result 5】90% had a positive change in their image of society. 54% "want to give back someday."

90% of guardians responded that their image of society had "positively changed" after receiving Share Cake. When asked about specific changes (multiple answers allowed):

Felt reassured by the existence of organizations providing such support: 90%

Came to think, "I want to give back to someone someday": 54%

Came to think, "I'm not raising my child alone": 45%

Came to think, "It's okay to say 'Help' when I'm in trouble": 38%

Receiving support leads to warm compassion that fosters future supporters. The message that Charity Santa has cherished, "You too can be someone's Santa Claus," has been numerically validated as taking root within the families who have used the service.

(Other: 1%, No answer: 0.2%, Multiple answers allowed, n=1656)

"Thank you for always supporting single-parent families. Even if we don't win the lottery, just knowing there are organizations that support us brings peace of mind."

(Parent of a third-year junior high school student, first-year junior high school student, and a fifth-grade elementary school student, Hokkaido)

"Our family is helped by a lot of social support. Especially since there is almost no public assistance for recreational aspects, support like cakes and activities for children is truly welcome. We hope it continues, and that our children, when they enter society in the future, will be in a position to help families and children who are struggling in the same way... I want to raise my two children well."

(Parent of a vocational school student, junior college student, university student, and a second-year high school student, Miyagi Prefecture)

"Financially, we are on the borderline where we don't receive the full child-rearing allowance, so the support we can receive drastically decreases. Our situation is more difficult in terms of time and finances than that of households exempt from resident tax. In such circumstances, this kind of support brightens our spirits, and we are truly grateful."

(Parent of a second-year high school student and a second-year junior high school student, Kyoto Prefecture)

Current Status and Challenges: Record High "Rejection Notices"

Share Cake is celebrating its 5th anniversary this year, having delivered over 17,000 cakes cumulatively. However, in recent years, the combination of rising prices and a surge in demand has made it difficult to continue providing support.

In fiscal year 2025, the number of applications increased 1.7 times compared to the previous year, while securing donations became challenging due to the impact of rising prices. Against the goal of "10,000 cakes annually," only 8,870 cakes were actually delivered. As a result, they were forced to send out a record number of rejection notices to families.

Meanwhile, when asked about the children's reactions upon receiving Share Cake in this survey, the following feedback was received:

"A cake is coming. Let's celebrate on the middle day," I said. My second son jumped up and down with a huge smile, saying "Yay!" My eldest son, trying to be considerate of our finances, said, "I don't really need a cake, you know," but when he heard me say that, he looked happy and asked, "Really?" When the cake actually arrived, my second son's eyes sparkled, and seeing that, my eldest son also looked happy."

They are working to create a system that can deliver this smile to as many children as possible and as many cakes as possible.

Crowdfunding Challenge

In this milestone 5th anniversary year, we have set a goal to establish a system to deliver cakes to 10,000 people. We ask for your support and assistance.

Project Name: 5th Anniversary Challenge! Overcoming the Wall of Rising Prices, We Want to Deliver Birthday Cakes to 10,000 People #ShareCake

URL: https://camp-fire.jp/projects/941945/view

Target Amount: 5,000,000 yen

Campaign Period: June 19, 2026 - August 7, 2026

【Use of Funds】

Delivering one Share Cake (4-inch whole cake) requires 4,000 yen. This includes 3,000 yen for the cake cost to the confectionery shop and 1,000 yen for project operating expenses (printing, shipping, public relations, etc.).

Message from the Project Manager

Birthdays are the one day a year when a child can "be the protagonist." However, this survey revealed that many children suppress their desire to be celebrated, thinking, "I don't want to be a burden."

On the other hand, after delivering the cakes, we observed not only the children's genuinely delighted faces but also changes that led to a sense of security, such as "we are valued" and "someone is watching over us," as well as a reduction in feelings of loneliness. The experience of "someone sharing in the joy of my birthday" is a gift greater than just a cake.

We at the Share Cake Project want to continue delivering the message "Thank you for being born" to children. Please lend us your strength to deliver this message to as many children as possible.

Izumi Kawazu, Director and Share Cake Project Manager, Certified NPO Charity Santa

Survey Overview

Survey Name: Charity Santa "Share Cake" User Family Survey

Survey Target: Child-rearing households that have used Share Cake

*Households receiving child-rearing allowance, school assistance, or livelihood protection, or those in similar economic situations, with children aged 18 or younger.

Survey Region: Nationwide

Survey Period: June 2026

Survey Method: Online questionnaire

Number of Valid Responses: 1,844

Organization Overview

With a mission to "leave memories of being loved by children," the organization began its activities in 2008. It became a certified NPO in 2025. Through initiatives such as "Santa Visits" conducted by branches nationwide, "Book Santa" which delivers new books, and "Share Cake" for birthday support, they work year-round to create systems that deliver "experiences" and "memories" to children.

Organization HP: https://www.charity-santa.com/