An Evening in the Windy City
The ACCJ Charity Ball returns for an in-person celebration of Chicago
One of the most popular dates on the social calendar each year is in December. That’s when the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) hosts the annual Charity Ball. Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020, the exciting gathering has been pushed online. But this year, the winds of change are blowing. On December 3, we’ll unplug from virtual space and step back to a more analog era as we gather at the Hilton Tokyo in Shinjuku to celebrate the Windy City itself: Chicago.
Despite being virtual, the 2020 and 2021 galas brought great fundraising success. But there’s no substitute for the vibrant atmosphere of a live event. So, the ACCJ Charity Ball Committee, in partnership with the ACCJ-Kansai Community Service Committee, has been hard at work to bring the Charity Ball back, live and in person.
The theme will offer attendees a chance to experience Chicago—from food to music to spirits. And don’t worry, there’s no prohibition here! We hope you’ll dress the part and bring back the chorus lines of Chicago or that Blues Brothers look made famous by John Belushi and Dan Akroyd.
Community Support
While the Charity Ball is great fun, and a chance to close out the year by celebrating with friends and networking with business associates, it’s also an important opportunity to raise money for the local community. As the chamber’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the Charity Ball supports the ACCJ Community Service Fund, which provides assistance to recipients for whom relatively small donations have a significant impact.
This year, the selected charities focus on at-risk children—including homes and programs for these children—as well as the homeless and citizen science.
These charities include:
- The Mike Makino Fund
- The ACCJ Community Service Fund
- YMCA/ACCJ Ohisama Camp
- YouMeWe
- Children’s Shelter Okinawa
- Safecast
- Kansai Food Bank
- Minna no Gohan
- Kurumu
You can learn more about these charities on the ACCJ website. Details about the entertainers, food and drink, and the ever-popular raffle will be added as we get closer to the event.
Sponsorships are also available and are a great way to highlight your business while making a real difference in the community.
We look forward to seeing you on the streets of Chicago and toasting the return of the in-person Charity Ball!
