NLF Sushi Social/42th Anniversary Celebration

SAN FRANCISCO – Nihonmachi Little Friends (NLF) will celebrate the agency’s 42nd anniversary and the completion of its new building with a Sushi Social on Friday, Nov. 17, from 6 to 8 p.m. at its expanded 1830 Sutter St. facility in the heart of San Francisco’s Japantown.

The evening will feature a special wine tasting with local winemaker Jason Mikami of Mikami Vineyards and a recognition of NLF’s capital campaign committee members. Back by popular demand, guests will also be treated to a musical performance by the stellar trio of Dr. Anthony Brown, Mark Izu, and Masaru Koga, a performance by NLF children, as well as an assortment of delectable sushi prepared by chefs from We Be Sushi.

NLF launched the Plant a Seed Capital Campaign (PASC) in 2012 to build the preschool addition which, along with the historic 1830 Sutter “Issei Women’s Building,” is the permanent home for its preschool programs. The addition increases the programs’ maximum capacity from 80 to 91 children, and features a rooftop playground and a children’s garden.

The facility opened its doors earlier in May, and the response from the preschoolers and their families has been very positive.

“We are thrilled and happy to finally be in one combined and permanent facility,” stated NLF Executive Director Cathy Inamasu. “This ensures the future of our programs and expanded community use of the 1830 Sutter St. building for generations to come.”

Fundraising for the new facility is continuing as the construction costs were greater than anticipated. Naming opportunities are still available starting at $1,000, with recognition on donor boards prominently displayed in the new building’s lobby. Information on ways to help NLF reach its goal can be found at its website, www.nlfchildcare.org.

Once a single preschool with 15 children, NLF has grown into a premier childcare center serving over 200 children annually with ages ranging from 3 to12 years. Over 3,000 children have attended NLF since it was founded in 1975. Its award-winning Japanese bilingual and multicultural programs attract a broad range of families from diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds.

“I feel honored to be a part of this important milestone for Little Friends,” says Koga, an award-winning multi-instrumentalist whose late mother’s birthday is on the same evening. “What better way to celebrate my mother’s birthday than by spending an evening with the good company of Little Friends and its supporters.”

Suggested donation is $125 per person. To make reservations, contact NLF at (415) 922-8898 or nlfchildcare@gmail.com. All proceeds from the evening will benefit NLF’s programs and its Building Fund. This event is made possible with the support of Wells Fargo.