Posted: 22 Dec. 2023 3 min. read

Food Drive with Vegetables Farmed by DTFA diverse abilities members

Report on Impact Month

Volunteers prepared packaged salads using vegetables harvested on the farm where DTFA diverse abilities members are working. Then the packaged salads were donated to an NPO’s food drive for people in need.

Report on one series of a program from the daytime to the night-time, working as “Farm Salad Rangers ” and supporting homeless people

Organizer: Misao Nakano, Deloitte Tohmatsu Group LLC / Impact month DTFA Volunteer planning and management member

Overview of the Program and Intention

Held on Friday, October,27, 31 people participated.

Working as “Farm Salad Rangers” during the day and supporting homeless people at night. 

During the day, volunteers made packaged salad with vegetables harvested from the farm where DTFA members with disabilities are working. (We call them diverse abilities members.)

At night, at the underpass of the Yokohama JR Kannai Station, 164 packages of salad prepared by the “Farm Salad Rangers” were handed out to homeless people as part of the food drive organized by a not-for-profit organization.

The intention of the program is to raise awareness of diverse abilities members and to support people in need at the same time. We wanted to design the program in a way to address one of the social challenges, that is, people feeling alone and left out of the community. Thus, the program was not just about offering food but about reassuring beneficiaries that they are not alone.

*Deloitte Tomatsu Group focuses on "Ability" and uses the term "Diverse Abilities" instead of "Disability."

Results and Going Forward

The program had a strong social impact, helping us support others who we previously do not know how to help while making the best use of vegetables farmed by our members with disabilities. “Leaving no one behind” is not just a slogan. Seeing and learning the reality of homeless people gave us a lot of new perspectives. 

Having participated in and organized seven other Impact Month programs in addition to this food drive, I have seen that senior leaders - presidents, partners and managers - were actively involved, which I think is foundational to a healthy corporate culture. Our wish is that all of us working for Deloitte Tohmatsu Group regard themselves as leaders of Well-being, setting directions and taking ownership in leading a healthy and enjoyable life.

Participants’ Comments

Farm Salad Rangers

  • Working with diverse abilities members reminded me of what true communication is all about, especially as we continue to work at home.
  • All diverse abilities members were very honest and kind, giving me joy in working together. They really inspired me.
  • As I aspire to study and work in the welfare services area in the future, the program presented me with a good opportunity to work with diverse abilities members.

Supporting homeless people

  • Learning about the actual lives of homeless people was shocking, but at the same time, taught me what it means to live. 
  • As all volunteers shared the same desire of being a help for others, it was easy and nice to build rapport with other participants who you may have met for the first time.
  • The program made me realize that I should do what I can do now, not “later” and not thinking “someone else might do what I could do.”

Motif of “Our Well-being Society”
Motif of “Our Well-being Society”