Sanyukai

Infobox Non-profit
Non-profit_name = Sanyukai Nonprofit Organization, Incorporated
founded_date = 1984, Tokyo, Japan
area_served = Local and nearby districts
focus = Homelessness
method = Healthcare, Legal Aid, Outreach, Homeless Shelter
homepage = [http://www2.gol.com/users/sanyukai/e_sanyukaitoha.htm Sanyukai's Website]

Sanyukai Nonprofit Organization, Incorporated is an official nonprofit organization dedicated to the aid of the homeless population in Tokyo, Japan. Sanyukai includes a free clinic, as well as an outreach program which distributes food and clothing to the homeless in the area.

Goal

Sanyukai states in their pamphlet:"It is the hope of Sanyukai that the suffering may be comforted, healed an enabled to stand on their own."The organization functions on several levels, which work together in an effort to give the homeless population the tools they need to stay healthy and become self-supporting.

tructure

Sanyukai is located in the Sanya district in Tokyo, Japan. The building has three floors, and includes the free Sanyu clinic, a kitchen where food is prepared for the Outreach Program and an office where free professional Legal Advice is offered. Sanyukai also hosts events in an effort to bring the community together in aiding the homeless.

anyu clinic

Located on the first floor of the Sanyukai building, Sanyu Clinic is one of the only free clinics in all of Tokyo. Here is where homeless members of society can receive consultations with professional doctors and nurses. Depending on the diagnosis, the patient may receive medical advice, free prescription medication, or a ride to the hospital for intensive care. Most of the clinic staff are medical professionals volunteering on their time off. At this point, Sanyu clinic hosts 9 doctors, 1 chiropractor, 4 acupuncturists and 6 nurses. Working full time at Sanyukai is one registered nurse who is also the clinic coordinator. Another nurse works part-time.

Outreach program

Centered around the kitchen on the second floor, the Outreach Program strives to provide the homeless with free meals and decent clothing. Several times a week, Sanyukai will prepare individually wrapped meals and go on patrol in the area. Concentrating in parks and riverside areas where homeless individuals tend to frequent, these patrols provide free meals and conversation. This Program works to not only provide the homeless with daily needs, but also establish Sanyukai as a place of safety and help for them. While providing food, the patrol also takes note of everyone's health, sometimes recommending a visit to the Sanyu Clinic. The Outreach Program works to establish and maintain connections with the homeless in the area, to more effectively aid those in need.

Legal advice

This aspect of Sanyukai was designed to inform individuals, step-by-step, how to overcome financial and legal barriers that might be keeping them in a state of poverty. Sometimes the homeless near Sanyukai need help dealing with loans or contracts, this department is in place for them.

ocial Center

Another aspect of Sanyukai is how it functions as a gathering place for the homeless in the area. Everyday, a large group of people can be found in front of the building, joking and socializing. Most of the homeless people in the area are middle aged or elderly men who are out of work and have no real family. Sanyukai functions as a place where these people can relax and socialize. The volunteers provide green tea and other basic things at the Sanyukai entrance that help these people on a daily basis. The homeless are provided with toothbrushes, shaving razors, towels, hand soap and laundry detergent, to help them maintain their hygiene and health. Once a month a barber volunteers his services and spends a day giving as many free haircuts as he can. Overall, Sanyukai is not only a place where the homeless go when they are sick or starving, but rather a landmark where they are welcomed and taken care of.

References

* [http://www.cbcj.catholic.jp/eng/jcn/sep2007.htm Catholic Weekly] September 16, 2007. "Free Clinic Marks 100,000 Patient Visits".
* [http://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/av/Org/181434-253 NPO Database]

External Links

* [http://www2.gol.com/users/sanyukai/e_sanyukaitoha.htm Sanyukai's Official Website]
* [http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/cup_detail.taf?ti_id=3152 San'ya Blues]
* [http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t727492317~db=all The Voluntary and Non-Profit Sector in Japan]