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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Friday, December 13, 2002

Dinette would let family eat together

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

"W.H." is a 41-year-old widow with 13 children, eight living with her.

The eldest of the eight children, 17, has Down syndrome while another child, 11, is hearing-impaired. W.H. is proud that the elder child will be graduating from school next year and the younger can catch the bus to attend school. Her other children pitch in to help around the house, she said.

In October, she took on the challenge of becoming a full-time night student at a business college. "I've had my heart set on going to school for a long time," W.H. said. "I want to get into something where I can care for people, maybe pediatric nursing."

W.H. receives children survivor's benefits and food stamps. She earns extra money by baby-sitting two children in the morning and two others in the afternoons.

• Mail checks payable to The Advertiser Christmas Fund to:

    Helping Hands Hawai'i
    P.O. Box 17328
    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.

Before leaving for school, she prepares dinner for her children. "I'm in school four nights a week from 5:30 to 10," W.H. said. "I catch the bus so I don't get home until midnight and my day starts off at 4 a.m."

W.H. continually talks about the blessings she and her children have rather than focusing on any of the material things they may be lacking, according to her caseworker. "The family's limited income barely meets their basic needs, and extras are often unattainable, making the holiday season especially difficult," the worker said.

A dinette set for six would be something the family could use, W.H. said. Without a regular table, the older members of the family sit on chairs, with plate on lap, while the younger children gather around a coffee table for meals.

"If we had a large table, we could at least gather everyone together for a meal in the living room," said W.H. "It would add a lot of joy to our meal times."