Supporting Families Staying with Hospitalized Children (Japan-Pigeon Corporation)

Pigeon Corporation runs regular corporate-led volunteer activities through our employee volunteer system. In July 2024, we participated in “Smiling with Meals,” an activity run by the NPO Keep Mama Smiling. The activity involved making bento boxes for families staying at Ronald McDonald House Setagaya to support children receiving hospital care.

What is “Smiling with Meals”?

“Smiling with Meals” (“Meal de Smiling” in Japanese) is a program operated by the NPO Keep Mama Smiling to provide nutritionally balanced meals to families supporting children in hospital. Few hospitals serve food to patients’ families, and so most families obtain their meals from in-hospital kiosks and convenience stores. In response to this situation, “Smiling with Meals” provides delicious meals that are nutritionally balanced, add a touch of seasonality within the hospital walls, and above all bring happiness to their recipients.

Ronald McDonald House

Ronald McDonald House offers accommodation to families whose children are being treated at hospitals far from their home, as well as the children themselves if they are not actually hospitalized. The accommodation includes a kitchen, living room, and laundry room so that families can relax just as they do at home. For more information about Ronald McDonald House, see here.

During this activity, with the cooperation of Keep Mama Smiling and Ronald McDonald House, Pigeon delivered bento boxes to 54 families.

Bento menu

Along with the bento boxes, we also delivered hand and mouth wipes with handwritten messages. “By preparing this food, we were able to offer some support to families supporting their children in hospital,” said one participant. “It felt good to bring them happiness.”

We will continue to support families staying with children receiving hospital treatment.

 

Keep Mama Smiling NPO (Japanese only)

Keep Mama Smiling and Pigeon’s activities to date