By Amanda Howell
If you’ve spent any time in the Hawthorne neighborhood, it’s possible you’ve walked, biked or driven past the Epworth United Methodist Church many times without noticing the Ikoi no Kai sign hanging from the back of the building. Four days a week, this unassuming location is bustling with activity come lunchtime.
Ikoi no Kai, which means “a place of rest” in Japanese, is a community lunch and cultural program that has been operating out of the same location since it first launched in 1979. A group of first generation Japanese Americans, in association with the Japanese Ancestral Society of Portland, started the program as a way to provide nutritious meals to elder members of the community and foster connection. Multnomah County funded the program through its Loaves and Fishes Centers until 2009 when Ikoi no Kai became an independent nonprofit.
On an average weekday today, 45-80 people enjoy a delicious meal at Ikoi no Kai. There’s one paid chef on staff, along with six to seven volunteers assisting in the kitchen on a daily basis and another two to three people serving meals and collecting dishes. This busy operation hums with life as staff and volunteers work to get everything prepared before community members begin arriving between 11-11:30 am. Prior to lunch at noon, attendees can participate in pre-lunch activities, such as volunteer-led Tai Chi, or take advantage of services offered, such as blood pressure checks. Once everyone is seated, lunch is served and attendees have an opportunity to connect and socialize over a three-course Japanese lunch featuring a soup, main course and dessert.
After lunch, programming varies by day of the week. Some days attendees play Mahjong, other days bingo, or they participate in a sing-along featuring the Ikoi no Kai band. Songs are sung in Japanese with the aid of lyric sheets that contain both Japanese and Romaji, which is a phonetic translation of the Japanese written language using the Latin alphabet.
Perhaps it’s not surprising given the strong focus on community that there are approximately 20-30 regulars in attendance most days, and some have been involved since the program first started. One volunteer has been helping out for 35 years, since she was a teenager. Many in the community know her and will attend if they know she’ll be serving meals on a particular day. The oldest regular attendee is turning 100 in October. Since he can no longer drive himself, he attends with the help of friends and neighbors who drive him from his home just south of Ladd’s Addition. He’ll have a chance to celebrate his birthday with “birthday sushi,” which occurs once a month at Ikoi no Kai.
While there’s still a focus on providing meals and connection for older adults in the community, Ikoi no Kai draws a multigenerational crowd. This is how Jeannine Shinoda, who runs the program, wants it to be. Shinoda joined Ikoi no Kai in June 2021, when the program was still closed due to COVID but set to relaunch in August of that year. At the time, she wasn’t sure how much rebuilding she would need to do, but, as it turned out, community members were eager to return. The organization had been looking for someone to take the helm for some time before Shinoda came on. Initially, there was only enough funding to support her part-time. Knowing that would only work for so long, she set out to secure grant funding from institutions like the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Community Foundation and Portland Clinic Foundation. She now oversees the program on a full-time basis.
Ikoi no Kai is still affiliated with the Japanese Ancestral Society of Portland, but it’s the only active program with paid staff. Meals are provided Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Advance reservations are generally required since they often reach capacity, although they can sometimes accept same-day attendees. Suggested lunch donations vary by age group: it’s $9 for people 65 and older, $12 for adults under 65 and $6 for kids. While no one is turned away for lack of a donation, Shinoda said most people do donate every day, which helps cover costs.
One Wednesday a month, the staff chef and volunteers prepare a bento-style meal to deliver to community members who are no longer able to attend in person. In August, volunteers delivered 86 meals throughout the community to people who are homebound or in assisted living facilities without transportation. Shinoda noted that, while people definitely look forward to the meal delivery, they also really enjoy the opportunity for connection. In an increasingly fractured and isolated world, Ikoi no Kai combats loneliness by bringing people together to share a meal, activities and stories. For some, it’s also an opportunity to connect over shared histories and experiences as first, second and third generation Japanese Americans.
Shinoda is always looking for volunteers who can help make this impressive operation run, especially people who can consistently volunteer on a weekly or even monthly basis. Volunteers are required to obtain a food handler’s permit within the first month of volunteering. As a perk, volunteers also get to enjoy a meal once all attendees have been served. Individual donations are also welcome and can be made online at ikoinokai.org. And, of course, any community members who are interested in joining for lunch are invited. You’ll be treated to a delicious lunch, a delightful conversation and, if you’re lucky, a sing-along.
Ikoi no Kai is located at 1333 SE 28th Ave. in the Epworth United Methodist Church. Lunch reservations can be made by phone at 503.238.0775, by email at reserve@ikoinokai.org or by filling out a form at ikoinokai.org/reservations.