14 May Keiro Supports LTSC’s COVID-19 Response

Keiro Supports LTSC’s COVID-19 Response

The coronavirus pandemic is causing significant struggles for everyone in our community. Seniors especially are in a tough position, they either brave the crowds of people at grocery stores and risk infection or wait at home as their supplies and food run out. Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) has worked side-by-side with volunteers, funders and community organizations like Keiro to ensure the prosperity and wellbeing of the seniors in Little Tokyo.

LTSC recently partnered with Keiro to provide immediate and critical financial assistance to seniors impacted by COVID-19. Because of this partnership, LTSC was able to help a client with board and care assistance when they were unable to move into an assisted care facility when the pandemic struck. Another example includes covering the moving costs of a low-income community member when the client’s friends were not able to help them because of the City’s shelter-in-place mandate, and they could not afford movers. Keiro has also helped provide activity supplies to keep seniors mentally and physically active during the pandemic. Additionally, through Keiro’s support, LTSC’s food pantry has been replenished several times when the need for Asian food items has exceeded the pantry’s inventory.

Keiro, alongside LTSC and the Little Tokyo Community Council (LTCC) partnered together to launch the Little Tokyo Eats program, which assists vulnerable seniors as well as struggling restaurants during the pandemic. Three times a week, Keiro supports the purchase of dinners from Little Tokyo restaurants, which provides small business owners with additional revenue. The dinners are then delivered door-to-door by LTSC and community volunteers to seniors in Little Tokyo who pay only $3 per meal.

As demand for LTSC’s programs and services surge to unprecedented levels, we’re happy to partner with organizations like Keiro so we can continue in our mission to assist low-income individuals and other persons in need. Keiro has heeded the call for community-focused organizations to come together and build a safety net for one another and the constituents they serve during these difficult times.

“These are challenging times for everyone—and now more than ever, we need to work together as a community to get through this. Keiro is pleased to be partnering with Little Tokyo Service Center and Little Tokyo Community Council to provide this much-needed service which brings the Little Tokyo community together to support the growing needs of our most vulnerable residents and impacted small businesses,” said Gene Kanamori, President and Chief Executive Officer at Keiro.