At Florence, we have stood alongside single-parent families, addressing their various challenges through services like sick-child care, counseling, and food/daily necessity distributions.

As we shared in our previous three posts:
Supporting daily life.
Preventing isolation.
Creating a place where people can safely say, "Help me."

These are all vital forms of support.

However, looking beyond this immediate, day-to-day assistance, there is another crucial perspective: helping children encounter new worlds, discover what they "want to try," and find the spark to imagine their own futures.

Today, we would like to share a story from a family who participated in Florence's "Adventure Bank for Children" (Kodomo Bouken Bank).

Note: This article has been reconstructed based on the feedback of an actual participant.

"I wanted to take them out on my days off, but I just couldn't move."

Ms. Yamashita (pseudonym) balances work and raising her two children. A few years ago, she lost her partner while on maternity leave with her second child. Since then, she has managed to keep working and parenting by utilizing Florence Sick Kid Sitter Service through our "Donation-Funded Single-Parent Support Plan."

Her five-year-old eldest daughter is at an age where she craves affection. Yet, saying "I’m the big sister," she increasingly helped care for her baby sister and took the initiative to do chores.

Ms. Yamashita wanted to take her children out on her days off. But amidst the exhaustion of the busy workweek, she rarely had the energy left to search for safe places to go with a toddler, make reservations, and pack all the gear. Hearing friends talk about their children’s extracurricular activities, she sometimes worried, "Should I be signing my child up for something, too?"

It was during one of these moments that she received an invitation to the "Adventure Bank for Children."

"If there are staff members going, I might actually be able to do this."

The activity menu sent via LINE listed various "adventures," including zoo visits, amusement parks, and company tours. Ms. Yamashita chose a corporate factory tour.

"If staff members are going to be there to help, I might be able to handle it by myself," she thought, deciding to apply. The peace of mind that came with knowing staff would be present gave her the push she needed to take that first step—an outing that would have felt overwhelming for a single parent alone.

On the day of the event, as soon as they arrived, the eldest daughter headed straight for the exhibition room, staring wide-eyed and fascinated by the massive machinery inside the factory.

Watching her daughter walk around and chat happily with the staff, Ms. Yamashita felt a sudden realization: "She might have been holding back and enduring so much for my sake."

At the same time, a deep sense of gratitude washed over her: "I’m so glad we came today." As she watched her happy child from a few steps back, Ms. Yamashita felt her own tightly wound heart finally begin to unwind.

Experiences Don't Just Create Memories for a Single Day

On the way home, the eldest daughter suddenly murmured:

"I want to work in a place like this in the future."

Hearing those words, Ms. Yamashita realized that what these experiences deliver isn't just a single day of fun memories.

Encountering a world they didn't know existed.
Discovering new types of jobs and places.
Feeling the spark of "I want to try that, too."

These encounters eventually expand the choices available to children in their futures.
Depending on family circumstances or financial situtions, creating opportunities for children to encounter diverse experiences can be difficult. That is why Florence delivers these life-changing experiences through the "Children’s Adventure Bank."

When "Going Out" and "Trying Things" Feel Out of Reach

We receive many heartfelt messages from families who have participated in these experiences:

"My son is on summer vacation, but I have to work. He spends all day at after-school care, and I can’t give him a fun summer like his classmates. We don't have much financial leeway, and he was complaining, 'It's summer vacation, but going to after-school care every day is so boring, I hate it.' I am truly happy that he has had an experience like this."

"Since becoming a single-mother household, financial anxieties meant that entertainment with my children always took a backseat. We rarely had the chance to go out. I am deeply grateful from the bottom of my heart for being given this kind of opportunity."

Supporting Today, Opening Up Tomorrow

Supporting daily life through sick-child care.

Preventing isolation through counseling and guidance.

Delivering connection through food and daily necessity distribution.

And building a stepping stone to the future through life experiences.

The opportunity to provide these experiences is entirely supported by your generous donations.
Through the Tokyo Marathon 2027 Charity, every single step taken by our runners and every heartfelt contribution from our donors transforms into an encounter with an "unknown world" and a dream for the future for these children.

Florence will continue to provide support that not only sustains daily life but also walks alongside children as they grow into their futures.

Your support is the step that opens up tomorrow for parents and children, and builds a brighter future for the next generation. Thank you.

NPO Florence is an official charity of the Tokyo Marathon Foundation Charity RUN with HEART.

The donations we receive will be dedicated to bringing more smiles to parents and children in need. We would love for you to run for us as a Florence Charity Runner!
For details, please wait for the announcement of the entry requirements (scheduled for late June).

Email: kifu@florence.or.jp
Website：https://florence.or.jp/english/

We share our daily updates on social media (in Japanese only).
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/npo.florence
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/npoflorence/
X: https://x.com/sprflorence
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@npo-florence