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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, December 11, 2002

ADVERTISER CHRISTMAS FUND
Dresser would be helpful to single mom, four kids

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Her 9-year-old daughter and two sons, ages 6 and 2, may not have toys like their friends, but "T.M." has never heard them complain.

"They're very appreciative kids," said the 26-year-old single mother, who gave birth to her fourth child last month. "I'm very thankful for my kids."

T.M. and her children live in two rooms in a relative's five-bedroom mountainside house.

All their clothes are stored in one dresser, five laundry baskets and two hampers.

Mail checks payable to The Advertiser Christmas Fund to:

    Helping Hands Hawai'i
    P.O. Box 19155
    Honolulu, HI 96817

• Our anonymous Santa will match the first $25 of all contributions.

Donations to the Christmas Fund can also be dropped off at First Hawaiian Bank branches statewide. To donate canned food or household goods, call the Helping Hands Hawai'i Community Clearinghouse at 536-7234.

Not only does it cause morning confusion when the children are dressing for school, but T.M. has another concern.

"There are plenty of mice on the mountain and sometime they get into the baskets," she said.

T.M. wants another dresser for her children's clothes. Some of the space in the dresser she has will be used for the baby's clothes.

T.M., who fractured her right leg in two places in a traffic collision seven months ago, plans to return to work in a few weeks.

She has been surviving on welfare checks and food stamps and cannot afford a dresser.

• • •

Donations to The Advertiser Christmas Fund

  • Billie J. McGill $3,000
  • Ann L. Felzer and Pamela F. Buchanan 15
  • Shizue K. Watanabe 20
  • Charlotte E. Blubaugh 25
  • Richard K. and Florence Okamoto 25
  • George Hurd Jr. 50
  • Marc A. Kowalski 50
  • Peter and Tencha Jenkins 75
  • Flodell and Ira Bailey 100
  • The Oyama Family 100
  • Lawrence M. and Mary M.L. Thrower 100
  • Takeichi and Teruko A. Tomei 100
  • Lionel and Mitzie Bernson 25
  • Portia M. Fukuoka 25
  • Sgt. T. Shiraki 25
  • David W. and Virginia P. Ballie 100
  • Eric N. Witt 100
  • Albert J. Schutz 50
  • Peter V.Z. and Sarah M. Cole 50
  • Lois M. Steadman 50
  • Nancy E. Pearl 30
  • Karl and Elizabeth Scholl 40
  • Ethel and Glenn Masui 50
  • Raymond and Elaine Sakai 50
  • Raymond and Claribel Greiner 51
  • John J. and Margaret Jaquette 75
  • Anonymous 3
  • Anonymous 20
  • Anonymous 20
  • Anonymous 25
  • Anonymous 25
  • Anonymous 25
  • Anonymous 25
  • Anonymous 35
  • Anonymous 50
  • Anonymous 50
  • Anonymous 100
  • Anonymous 150

Total $4,909

Total to date $9,597