FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASETABLE FOR TWO Celebrates World Food Day 2023 #OnigiriAction- Unite the States with Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) Aims to Provide One Million Meals to Children in Need
NEW YORK, September 14, 2023 -- TABLE FORTWO USA (TFT) invites everyone to participate in their 9th
Annual ONIGIRI ACTION campaign to provide 1 million
school meals to children around the worldfrom Wednesday, October 4 to Friday, November 17,
2023. During the campaign, through the generosity of ourpartner organizations (see below), every rice ball related
post on the campaign website or social media
with #OnigiriAction will provide five school meals tochildren in need. TFT will enhance school meals insocioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods in theU.S. by adding fresh vegetables and fruits as well as
provide school meals to children in East Africa.
Our ONIGIRI ACTION campaign commemorates the United Nations’ World Food Day. As a non-profit
organization with roots in Japan, the campaign highlights onigiri (rice balls), which are a traditional
Japanese comfort food made with love to share with others.
Since its launch in 2015, Onigiri Action has supported 8.3 million school meals. The organization hasreceived two prestigious awards: one related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the other for
Health and Culture from the Japanese government (https://bit.ly/3Kg0ZHY). Amid soaring food prices
due to COVID-19, climate change, and the invasion of Ukraine, there are concerns that “Zero Hunger,”
one of the goals of SDGs, will be delayed. The need for TFT to bring healthy meals to those in need isgrowing more important each year.
2023 USA Campaign Theme: Unite the States with Onigiri
TFT and our partners will continue to connect everyone through onigiri with many virtual and in-person
events. With the “Unite the States with Onigiri” theme this year, our goal is to complete the 50-state

TABLE FOR TWO USA
https://usa.tablefor2.org
Media Contact: Amy Fuentes, wa-shokuiku@tablefor2.org

map with photos of rice balls. We additionally have two new features this year. The first is a Metaverse
Virtual Tour event where participants will be able to visit a school virtually in Africa that Onigiri Action
supports. The second is the US & Japan College Relay Baton Touch /バトンタッチ!, a fun andcollaborative initiative on Instagram for American and Japanese university students. Two teams willcompete in speed and creativity during the Onigiri Action campaign!
Upcoming Events
During the campaign, many Onigiri Action events plan to be held both in-person and virtual.
•Onigiri Action Kits Workshop with National Japan Societies - Virtual (Nov 12 2pm PT / 5pm ET)
Participants will receive a special “Onigiri Action Kit” with ingredients and materials needed tomake several types of Onigiri. The event will include a presentation about Japanese food,culture, and nutrition as well as a cook-along. This will be held in collaboration with the Ministryof Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan and the Japan External Trade Organization.

•Onigiri Action Workshop at Japanese Food Expo in Los Angeles (Oct 28)
Learn how to make onigiri and make a difference!

•Onigiri Action Booth at Japanese Friendship Garden in San Diego (Oct 15 12-3pm PT)
Stop by to make an onigiri and take fun photos to join Onigiri Action.

Partner Organizations in the U.S. (as of Sep 14):For every onigiri photo posted, five school meals will be donated through the generous support fromour partners: J.C.C. Fund/Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New York, JFC
International/Nishiki, JCAW Foundation, Zojirushi America, San-J, ITOCHU International, SMBC Global
Foundation, Misuzu Corporation, MUFG Bank, Zensho Employees Association Network, Mishima Foods
U.S.A., Q&B Foods,Inc., AUTEC
Onigiri partners: BentOn, Onigilly, Sunny Blue, Omusubee, Onigiri Kororin
To Learn More:
ONIGIRI ACTION (USA site): https://usa.tablefor2.org/onigiri-action
ONIGIRI ACTION (Global site): https://onigiri-action.com/en/

Products with Donations (as of Sep 14th):

TABLE FOR TWO USA
https://usa.tablefor2.org
Media Contact: Amy Fuentes, wa-shokuiku@tablefor2.org

During the campaign, a portion of the proceeds from products below will be donated towards providing
school meals: Nishiki Rice (JFC International), Rice Cooker (Zojirushi America), Tamari Soy Sauce (SanJ), Tamaki Gold (ITOCHU International), Inari (Misuzu Corporation), Nori Komi Furikake (Mishima Foods
U.S.A.), KEWPIE Mayonnaise (Q&B Foods, Inc.), AUTEC (Onigiri Maker ASM545A), Okonomiyaki Pancake
Mix (Otafuku Foods), over 100 onigiri items (Gohan Market), Onigiri/Omusubi (BentOn, Onigilly, SunnyBlue, Omusubee, Onigiri Kororin), and Seasonal Delights Care Package (Kokoro).
About TABLE FOR TWO USA:TFT is a 501(c)(3) organization that addresses the issues of hunger and obesity by providing school
meals to children in need. Additionally, TFT teaches healthy eating habits to K-12 students in the U.S.
through their unique food education program called Wa-Shokuiku -Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese!

TABLE FOR TWO USA
https://usa.tablefor2.org
Media Contact: Amy Fuentes, wa-shokuiku@tablefor2.org