ADVERTISER CHRISTMAS FUND
Head of household seeks new computer, printer
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
"C.B." rents a five-bedroom house where she lives with eight of her nine children and a 19-year-old niece.
One of her daughters and the niece work part-time and along with income from C.B.'s full-time job, the family manages to get by.
They receive food stamps but no welfare assistance. By pooling their incomes, the family usually has money to spare at the end of each month after paying for rent and utilities.
"Sometimes we have nothing, but most of the time I have about $60 left," 42-year-old C.B. said. "It depends on how much gas I use (driving) the kids around."
Life could be better, but C.B. isn't complaining.
• Our anonymous Santa will match the first $25 of all contributions. The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation has pledged to match and double cash donations. • Donations also may 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 Road. For details, call 536-7234.
She and her husband are separated but are talking about getting back together. Her home life is organized and she's working toward becoming a certified substance-abuse counselor.
• Checks made payable to The Advertiser Christmas Fund should be mailed to Helping Hands Hawai'i, P.O. Box 17328, Honolulu, HI 96817.
"We all check in with each other every day and keep a close eye on our schedules so we know who's doing what and when," C.B. said.
C.B. was getting a lot more done before her computer broke.
She had bought the second-hand computer for $50 and it served her well for about 18 months. "Basically, it saved me a lot of time because I could bring work home with me," she said.
Several employees share one computer at C.B.'s workplace. A substance-abuse treatment facility case manager, C.B. would like a new computer and printer. It would allow her not only to do work at home but also spend more time with her children, ages 4 to 19.
• • •
Donations to The Advertiser Christmas Fund
- Charles W. and Linda M. Callahan $500
- David P. and Marjorie J. Ihle 250
- Lea A. and H. John Heide 200
- Ellen S. Mann 100
- I. Robert Nehmad 100
- In memory of Lorene K.S. Au 100
- In memory of Art and Peggy Emes 100
- Robert H. and Janie H. Iwai 100
- The Choy Family 100
- In memory of Yoshiyuki Takahashi 25
- In memory of Travis Hosaka 25
- In memory of Ricardo F. Mata 25
- In memory of Tosh Ige 50
- Norman S. Fujioka 25
- Gerhard C. Hamm 25
- Randolph J. and Naphaphorn Belanger 15
- Henry S. and Laura S. Arakaki 25
- Harold Y. and Vera M. Ashitomi 25
- The Chapmans 25
- George Iwanaga 25
- Dennis Kawahara 25
- Tiana, Chasity, Preston 25
- Annie Kau 25
- George S. and Kiyoko Yamaki 25
- Ross Suyemura 40
- Clyde G. and Diane Ching 50
- Raymond C. and Patsy Y. Kanzaki 50
- Marvin C.H. Luckfield 50
- Violet M. Oyama 50
- Randolph W. and Stephanie K. Sakauye 50
- Carolyn K. Young 50
- Praise God 5
- Anonymous 25
Total $2,310
Total to date $21,974.05
