The Future Of Tonari Gumi

Tonari Gumi has maintained the services and programs that it originally started with to support the Issei community. As more Nisei reach retirement, Tonari Gumi has reached out with senior's wellness, cultural and recreational programs with the interests and needs of Nisei in mind. Tonari Gumi hopes to welcome a growing number of Nisei to its new drop-in center.

Another area of growth Tonari Gumi hopes to be involved in is providing additional support for newcomers. To assist newcomers, Tonari Gumi currently offers immigrant settlement and counseling services and expects that the need for these services will continue to grow in the coming years. We also recognise the growing numbers of young Japanese who come to Vancouver to study, travel, and work. Because they are here temporarily, we try to consider their special needs as we provide our services and adapt our programs. Our aim is to reach a broader spectrum of people, so that everyone feels welcome to participate in the Nikkei community.

Tonari Gumi realizes that it also has an important role to play in the lives of Sansei and Yonsei who wish to learn more about their Japanese heritage and Japanese Canadian history. Tonari Gumi provides a unique environment for all generations to meet and learn from each other.
Tonari Gumi acts as an information resource for the larger community and to those with an interest in Japanese and Japanese Canadian culture, especially the Sansei and Yonsei. We hope to have more youth involvement as volunteers or in youth programs. As well, Tonari Gumi would also like to attract more volunteers from outside of the Japanese Canadian community who are interested in the unique opportunities available with this type of volunteer work.

The future for Tonari Gumi is very dependent on the state of our fundraising success. The organization has been supported by various levels of government and donations from the community. However, because of changing government priorities, funding has become more uncertain, leaving Tonari Gumi more dependent upon direct fundraising. Our services and programs have been offered for free or very cheaply, but in the years ahead, we unfortunately will have to review our fee structure. Keeping with the founding spirit, the Board, staff, and volunteers will work very hard to ensure that Tonari Gumi remains accessible to as many people as possible. In-kind and monetary donations of any amount are greatly appreciated. If you would like to make a donation to Tonari Gumi, please contact us.