It's 11:30 a.m. on a clear Saturday morning and around 10 volunteers are packing up the last of the food that Second Harvest Japan plans to distribute that afternoon.
They're gathered at the food bank's central kitchen in Tokyo's Taito Ward, in a room stuffed with boxes of donated food products. The walls are graffitied with the names of donors — from banks and brand names to individuals — giving the place the kind of vibe you'd get from a Shibuya live house.
Smack dab in the center of the room is a table covered in insulated boxes containing yogurt, milk, nattō (fermented soy beans), sausages and ready-to-bake pizzas. Second Harvest Japan CEO and founder Charles McJilton pulls out a serving of steak, adding that someone is in for a treat.
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