On August 1 and 2, we had the pleasure of participating in the 50th Powell Street Festival. This festival is the oldest and most historic community celebration in Vancouver, proudly carried on by generations of the Japanese Canadian community. Nikoniko Home Care has been honored to take part for the past seven to eight years. Each year, as a small token of our gratitude to the community, we give away our original Nikoniko fans (uchiwa).
The Powell Street Festival is also a very special event for Nikoniko Home Care. Our booth gives us the opportunity to meet people who are discovering us for the first time and learning about our culturally sensitive, person-centered approach to care. It is also a wonderful chance to reconnect with our clients, their families, and many community leaders who have supported us over the years. We are grateful that we were once again able to participate this year and share our mission with the community.
Interestingly, when we first joined the festival many years ago, very few people stopped by our booth. Before COVID, many people believed that home care was something that did not concern them personally. However, that perspective changed dramatically after the pandemic. About five years ago, we began noticing many more visitors coming to our booth, often saying, “Thank you for the important work you do.” I still vividly remember realizing that society’s perception of home care had begun to change.
Since then, as many of you know, Nikoniko Home Care has continued to grow. In addition to providing home care services, we now operate an assisted living home, offer brain wellness programs through our non-profit organization, and, since last year, have introduced the Coroyawa Cushion Mat to help prevent falls. Our vision has expanded to sharing the best of Japanese caregiving and innovative products with our local community.
Looking back, I truly believe that this growth has been made possible because we have continued to participate in community events like the Powell Street Festival year after year, building meaningful relationships one person at a time.
For us, the Powell Street Festival is a place that reminds us of where we started, while also inspiring hope for the future. We will continue walking alongside our community, expanding the circle of smiles one step at a time, and sharing the warmth of Japanese-style caregiving along with new ideas that improve people’s lives.
We sincerely hope to join the festival again next year, and we would love to see you there as well!