Advertiser Christmas Fund
Household with seven children needs new refrigerator

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Three of M.G.'s own children — ages 16, 14 and 10 — live with her in a four-bedroom home that her family owns. A fourth child, 18, is living on the Mainland. Seven months ago, she was given custody of her three nephews — 7, 6 and 5 years old — and a 3-year-old niece.

"I didn't want them to be split up," M.G. said of the young children. "When I got them, they were all under the age of 6, traumatized and were street children. They saw police come to their house twice with guns and their mother and father arrested and sent to jail.

"When they came to live with me, I was so afraid for them because they were so neglected and hurt. They had no underwear or slippers. The kids weren't going to school. The first three have delayed learning, mild mental retardation and dental problems, all from drugs."

	How to make a donation
•	Checks made payable to The Advertiser Christmas Fund should be mailed to
	Helping Hands Hawai'i
	P.O. Box 19155
	Honolulu, HI 96817
•	Donations may also be dropped off at any First Hawaiian Bank branch.
•	Anyone wishing to donate goods instead of money can do so at the Community Clearinghouse at 2100 N. Nimitz Highway near Pu'uhale Street. For details, call 536-7234.

Her family was making ends meet on $800 welfare assistance per month and food stamps. Since May, she has been receiving an additional $2,000 per month ($500 per child) to care for her nephews and niece.

"A couple of months ago, I was feeling burnt out," said M.G., who said her four brothers are helping out. "We went from a teenage house to a children's house. My own kids are starting to feel neglected. But we'll work it out."

M.G. is in desperate need of a refrigerator to replace the one she has, which is more than 20 years old and not in good working order. She has also been unable to replace her microwave, which is also broken.

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