HAPPYDOLL ACTIVITY SUMMARY
Number of HappyDolls Made: Over 2,000
Number of HappyDoll Travels: Over 5,000
Number of Volunteers: Over 300
Projects & Events
100 decorated dolls made by children at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC in March were delivered to the children at MUSE NO YUME, a non-profit organization for children with special needs. These dolls arrived wearing miniature scarves and hats made by the volunteers of the knitting club at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, UFJ. In return, 100 children at MUSE NO YUME decorated HappyDolls, and performed a special “bon voyage concert” to send off their dolls to Washington D.C. early next year.
HappyDoll was invited to hold a booth at the Riverdale Community Action Day, an annual event held at Riverdale High School to give back to the community. More than 600 alumni, students, parents, and faculty participated in the drives and activities. Students attending the event decorated a total of 136 dolls.
HappyDoll held an in store decorating session with MIKI HOUSE Bloomingdale’s Aventura, the renowned Japanese fashion house for toddlers. Customers were invited to decorate their own HappyDolls while shopping the brand. MIKI HOUSE donated the 60 HappyDolls made at the event, along with 50 blank dolls to Miami Children’s Hospital, where the children and family members decorated 5 HappyDolls. The Miami Children’s Hospital is the only hospital in South Florida dedicated exclusively to children.
A HappyDoll kit donor, Lisa Parker, requested her daughter’s doll be sent to Cambodian Children’s Fund. As a result, 200 HappyDolls (100 decorated, 100 blank) were sent to the children in Phnom Penh at the Cambodian Children’s Fund. The organization provides life-changing education, nourishment, and healing to vulnerable children from some of Cambodia’s most destitute communities. Lisa Parker is the President of the Lawrence Welk Family Foundation.
80 HappyDolls (40 decorated, 40 blank) were sent to the Magic Hospital in Beijing. The hospital helps to heal sick, abused, neglected, and orphaned children by restoring an element of fun in their day. Programs and activities are designed for children who are temporarily or permanently deprived of a carefree childhood. The hospital is planning on scheduling a session using the blank dolls in the near future.
Virginia, USA
HappyDoll joined Go Green Expo, an eco-friendly event for children to learn about environmental sustainability in Newport News, Virginia. Children were able to attend a variety of exhibits and activities, as well as interact with community leaders making a difference on the environment. 36 children decorated HappyDolls at the event.
HappyDoll sent 55 dolls decorated by children from all over the world to orphans at Ashinaga Uganda Rainbow House. Approximately 800 registered AIDS orphans regularly visit the Rainbow House to play and receive psychosocial support. In return, the orphans studying at Ashinaga’s Terakoya School decorated and sent back 55 dolls to New York.
HappyDoll worked with Labdoo.org, a non-profit that aims to use grassroots, decentralized social networking tools to efficiently bring excess laptops to children in developing countries. HappyDolls were included in Labdoo’s laptop packages so the children will not only receive a computer, but will also have the opportunity to use their new gift to track their HappyDolls. A total of 120 dolls (60 decorated, 60 blank) are traveling through Labdoo.org, making stops in California, Barcelona, and Rome. 48 happydolls have arrived in Ndoni, Nigeria
New York, USA
HappyDoll was invited to hold a decorating session for the children (ages 5-11) at the Vacation Bible School in the Village of Harlem. 15 children made beautiful HappyDolls as part of their mission project.
New York, USA
HappyDoll participated in the Central Park Challenge, a walking/running fundraiser organized by YAI.org. Adults and children with disabilities, and their families and friends gathered together to raise awareness for support to those in need. 80 HappyDolls were decorated by children at the HappyDoll booth in the play area.
15 HappyDolls were delivered to the children in the pediatric ward at the National University Hospital in Singapore. In return, the children decorated their own to send back to the States. Terumi Kaibara, a HappyDoll volunteer, carried out the HappyDoll session along with her classmates from her business management program at UCLA-NUS.
The fourth grade students from North Merrick School made 20 HappyDolls. Upon visiting the school, the Executive Director of HappyDoll was given a large HappyDoll made and decorated by the students as a surprise gift.
A volunteer from the Morgan Stanley Stuffing Session invited HappyDoll to hold a decorating event at her daughter’s school in Brooklyn. 20 children in the preschool class at PS 195 decorated 25 HappyDolls.
MAY 2012:
CHANGE THE WORLD FAIR WITH SCRIPPS NETWORKS INTERACTIVE
New York, USA
HappyDoll was invited by Scripps Networks Interactive to host a volunteer booth at “Change the World Fair”, a volunteer event which supports national, regional and local organizations to better the quality of life and support those at risk or in need. Over 50 employees from Food Network, Cooking Channel, and DIY Channel participated in stuffing blank dolls.
MIDORI AND FRIENDS
New York, USA
HappyDoll was invited by Midori & Friends to hold a HappyDoll Session with 40 children from PS163K who had just learned about Japanese art culture in class. Japanese pop star, KIYO, joined the session as a special surprise guest.
HORACE MAN SCHOOL
New York, USA
A young girl named Sasha, who participated at our event at Japan Society, was determined to share the experience with her classmates. As a result, she was able to introduce the organization to the second grade class who made 18 HappyDolls.
New York, USA
A young boy named Kai, who participated at our event at Japan Society, invited HappyDoll to his school on his birthday to share the experience with his classmates. The students of the first grade class made 10 HappyDolls.
New York, USA
Common Cents is an organization in New York that nurtures children’s moral character by providing children a chance to look into their communities, see problems, ask questions, and find answers by using their creativity and generosity. HappyDoll was invited to collaborate with “Cookies and Dreams”, their literacy and mentoring program where older students tutor their juniors in pre-school. The curriculum has been taken in by several public and private schools throughout Manhattan. 4th graders from PS 51M were paired with 1st graders to read together and decorate HappyDolls. The children made 70 HappyDolls and exchanged them amongst partners.
APRIL 2012:
AHRC
New York, USA
AHRC serves over 15,000 individuals with intellectual & developmental disabilities throughout New York. HappyDoll held a volunteer session at AHRC in Tribeca, where more than 40 individual gathered from 7 different branches in New York to stuff HappyDolls. We made a total of 66 HappyDolls in less than 2 hours.
MARCH 2012:
JAPAN SOCIETY
New York, USA
Over 50 children came together at Japan Society on March 11th to participate in “HappyDolls for Tohoku” to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. The children wrote messages on HappyDolls to send to the children in Tohoku, and sang songs with singer, AK Akemi Kakihara.
FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
New York, USA
In collaboration with the Mercedes’ Fashion Week, FIT will be hosting a special seminar entitled “Human Power Development and Japan Fashion in the Age of Globalization”. A real-time screening of the conference will be held in the Dining Hall. Over 200 students are invited to watch the seminar while making HappyDolls for children in Japan.
THE NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
Washington DC, USA
To celebrate the 100th anniversary since the cherry blossom trees were bestowed on Washington DC by Tokyo, HappyDoll.org held a booth for children in DC to make HappyDolls for 100 children in Sendai. The dolls will be delivered to “Muse-no-Yume”, a non-profit organization providing musical education and support to children with special needs. In return, these children will create 100 dolls for children in need in the US, which they will send back after a “HappyDoll Concert” in November.
FEBRUARY 2012:
SUKRUPA
Bangalore, India
100 children in Bangalore made HappyDolls for American children. These children are supported by the non-profit SKURUPA, which provides education, food and other resources to help children out of poverty.
MAI AM BA CHIEU
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
15 young girls from the orphanage, MABC in Ho Chi Minh, sent HappyDolls for American children in need. Mai Am Ba Chieu is an open house established in 1998 for street children, offering housing, education, and job training.
DECEMBER-JANUARY 2012:
STUDENTS HELPING HONDURAS
El Progresso, Honduras
70 HappyDolls made by children in the states traveled to the children living in the communities of El Progresso. In return, the founder of the non-profit organization, Students Helping Honduras, brought back 63 HappyDolls made by children in Honduras.
Fundraisers
HOLIDAY EVENT 2012
New York, USA
HappyDoll’s annual holiday event was hosted at VPL, a fashion boutique in Soho. The event starred chef, Josie Gordon, who shared her delicious orderves and desserts with over 100 guests. A silent auction and live auction were held which raised $1,665. A grand total of $9,370 was raised at the event.
FALL CLEANING PARTY
New York, USA
More than 40 guests attended the Fall Cleaning Party held at 1930 Broadway, which raised a total of $1,182. The event showcased Mimi Johnson’s handmade jewelry.
HAPPYDOLL SCAVENGER HUNT
New York, USA
HappyDoll hosted a scavenger hunt at Washington Square Park. 20 participants were grouped into teams and explored the neighborhood as they solved puzzles, answered questions, and learned about the organization. The teams met up at the Malt House, where the winners were announced and received brunch gift certificates to the restaurant. The event raised a total of $660 in 2 hours.
EGAO SMILE PLACEMAT
New York, USA
HappyDoll made placemats using children’s drawings from Tohoku. They were sold at a commemorative event for Great East Japan Earthquake, “TOGETHER FOR 3.11”, and the Natural History Museum event, raising $340.
HappyDoll Spring Cleaning Party 2012
New York, USA
A total of 60 guests attended the Spring Cleaning Party, a fundraiser in which guests clean out their closets by exchanging resources such as clothes, toys, and household goods while meeting new friends. The event raised $1,650.
New Corporate Partnerships
Morgan Stanley: Starting this year, Morgan Stanley will be our first corporate partner. Employees are welcome to drop-in during volunteer session hours and participate by stuffing the muslin dolls to make blank HappyDolls. The HappyDoll x Morgan Stanley Volunteer Session has been a monthly event since our first session in February.
The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ: BTMU became our corporate sponsor in March. We kicked off the new partnership with volunteer sessions at the offices in New York and New Jersey, where participants made 100 HappyDolls to send to Japan in memory of 3.11.
2011 Activity Summary
STAND WITH JAPAN
~A Charity Concert for the Earthquake & Tsunami Victims~
March 29 2011 at First Church of Christ, New York, NY
More than 20 performing musicians and 300 guests came together to raise over $36,000 for Japan. All the proceeds were donated to Save the Children for exclusive use for disaster relief and support for children in Sendai, Japan.
KIDSUNA Project: Connecting Children Across the World
Haiti, Japan, U.S.,
A cross-cultural humanitarian project to connect children from Japan, Haiti and U.S., the project engaged 100 children from each country who made HappyDolls with messages of hope and encouragement. The HappyDolls traveled on their behalf, connecting the children and creating a “bond”, or “kidsuna” in Japanese.
Dolls were made and traveled across:
o Haiti (Port-au-Prince)
o Japan (Kanagawa, Miyagi, Fukushima, Japan; Tsunami evacuation centers)
o U.S. (New York, NY; Greensboro, NC)
HappyDoll-Making Sessions
o JCC (Jewish Community Center of Manhattan), New York, NY: A session with 30 autistic children attending the program.
o Rutgers Presbyterian Church, New York, NY: A session with 40 children attending the summer program.
o CandlelightersNYC, New York, NY: A session with 6 children and their families battling cancer.
o Hodori After-School Program in Queens, NY: A session with 70 underprivileged children and domestic violence victims.
o Association to Benefit Children in New York, NY: 46 disadvantaged children participated in the first session. Since the official partnership, HappyDoll holds monthly visits with members of Inviolet Repertoire, bringing HappyDoll sessions combined with theater workshops to the children at ABC. To date, over 60 children at ABC have made HappyDolls.
MOVIE x MEAL Fundraiser
June 12 & 23 at CHOMCHOM, New York, NY
Meals were served to our 47 guests, followed by a screening of the Korean film, “Harmony” and a presentation of the HappyDoll Kits. A total of $1,045 was raised.
“Happy Scribble”: A Pre-Holiday HappyDoll Session
November 19 at Scribble Press, New York, NY
More than 20 children and their families participated in this first public HappyDoll event, raising $860 in 2 hours.
“SWEET SUCCESS”: HappyDoll’s Holiday Bash
December 12 at Bungalow 5 Showroom, New York, NY
More than 150 guests including donors, volunteers, and new HappyDoll friends were invited to the holiday party.
Partnerships-Our HappyDoll Friends-
Cape Fear Academy, Greensboro, North Carolina: The second graders from North Carolina made 114 original HappyDolls for the kids at evacuation centers in Japan.
Save the Children: The proceeds of HappyDoll’s charity concert were donated to Save the Children for exclusive use for disaster relief and support for children in Sendai, Japan.
Japanese Association of Roosevelt Island: HappyDoll supported fundraising efforts at the Cherry Blossom Festival on Roosevelt Island.
KIDSUNA_GKC: HappyDoll connected children in Haiti, Japan, and the United States through a HappyDoll exchange.
Jewish Community Center (JCC), NY, NY: After school program for autistic children. http://www.jccmanhattan.org
Rutgers Presbyterian Church, NY, NY: Provides children’s summer camp, soup kitchens, and rehabilitation groups.
CandlelightersNYC.org, NY, NY: NPO dedicated to helping families of children battling cancer. http://www.kafsc.org
Korean American Family Service Center (KFSC), Hodori After-School Program, (KAFSC), NY, NY: NPO dedicated to preventing domestic violence by providing holistic support to children from low-income families.
Association to Benefit Children (ABC), NY: Service programs for disadvantaged children and families in New York.
Inviolet Rep, NY: Theater company run by a powerhouse of actors in New York. Members of the repertoire provide theater workshops at the HappyDolls sessions.
Press Coverage
New York Times/ Time Out/ NY1/ Parents Magazine/ Kyodo News/ New York Seikatsu Press, Inc./ NY Japion/ Yomiuri Newspaper/ Yomitime/ The Korea Daily /The Korea New York Daily/ U.S. Frontline News, Inc.
Special HappyDoll Visits
August 2011: Miyu Kaname and her mother delivered two HappyDolls which she and her brother made for children in need. Miyu came from Okinawa, Japan, to the United States for a heart transplant surgery. In return, Miyu and her brother received HappyDolls made by children in New York.
September 2011: Kotaro Sato and his mother received a HappyDoll made by an American child and a HappyDoll kit. Kotaro evacuated from Fukushima, Japan to New York City.
