While Tokyo is known for its restless nights, amazing food, and its vivid culture, one major underlying issue is homelessness. It is estimated that over 4,000 people are homeless or do not have permanent housing in Tokyo. To tackle this issue, high school science teacher Ms. Medley volunteers for the Tokyo Spring Homeless Patrol, an organization that gives out food and supplies to homeless people.
Ms.Medley has been volunteering every Wednesday in Ueno and every other Saturday in Yokohama since November last year. She got to know this organization through a networking event in Tokyo, as she wanted to help those in need, and had previous volunteering in the United States.“The homeless population has always held a special place in my heart. In the States, before COVID, I helped out at a soup kitchen with preparing and distributing food there.”
The mission of the Tokyo Spring Homeless Patrol is straightforward yet meaningful: to supply food and essential items to the homeless community in the Ueno and Yokohama areas. The organization operates without funding and relies entirely on the kindness and generosity of volunteers like Ms. Medley. Despite the patrol lasting only an hour, many individuals experiencing homelessness are aware of the services provided, and they eagerly anticipate the support. On average, Ms. Medley delivers around eighty items to Ueno and over a hundred to Yokohama, ensuring that supplies reach all of those in need. “One time at Yokohama, I made chicken sandwiches — I brought rotisserie chicken from Costco and fried chicken from KFC, and I made about 50 sandwiches. If I fall short, I buy extras from convenience stores.” She also said that there is one person who always sticks in her mind. “There’s an older lady at the Ueno location… she’s probably in her 70s, and she has her little corner. I just think, if this were my grandmother, she would not be out here on the street. One day, she asked for a book to read. Even in her situation, she could have asked for many things, but she wanted a novel.” After meeting the lady, she always makes an effort to bring anything that could help her every week. She also shared her favorite quote, “Helping one person might not change the whole world, but it could change the world for one person.” Through her experience, she emphasized the importance of helping those in need and also encouraged students and faculty to help out and to make a difference.
An Interview with Brkić Sulejman, Co-founder of Tokyo Spring Homeless Patrol
Sulejman stated that the biggest problem os homelessness in Japan is inequality in society. “You can measure how humane a society is by the way it treats its most vulnerable members,” Sulejman explained. he explained that Japanese people tend to be cold to the homeless and consider them as “disqualified humans” as they didn’t work hard enough. He said that one solution for this is “creating a proper safety net so that people don’t hit rock bottom, so that everyone can have a decent life which includes not only bread but roses, too.” Sulejman’s words remind us that volunteering is not just about passing supplies but is also about helping create a society where everybody is treated equally and a society where everybody values dignity.
Through Ms.Medley and Mr.Sulejman’s messages, we are reminded that volunteering and generosity can help everyone move towards a society valuing harmony, respect, and equality.
