ADVERTISER CHRISTMAS FUND
Woman, 4 children have found privacy but need beds
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
"A.F." and her four children recently moved out of a boarding house and into a four-bedroom home in Makaha.
"We had to share a bathroom with old people at the boarding house and the kids couldn't play or make noise," said 33-year-old A.F., who is receiving welfare and housing assistance.
A.F. viewed the move as a giant step forward in her goal to give her children something she never had — a family home.
"I've been on my own since I was 13," said A.F., the product of a broken home and foster care. Her mother left Hawai'i with a boyfriend to live on the Mainland and her father was never around, she said.
A.F. gave birth at age 16 and never finished high school. Her four children— ages 16, 14, 5 and 3 — have different fathers. A.F. offered no excuses, preferring instead to look ahead.
"My kids are very strong," she said proudly. "I had to raise myself and was free to do as I pleased. I want to be there for my kids. I want them to succeed in life; that's all that matters to me."
A.F. would like twin-size beds and sheets for her two eldest children, a boy and girl.
Our anonymous Santa has generously offered once again this year to match the first $25 of each donation to the Christmas Fund.
Checks made payable to "The Advertiser Christmas Fund" should be mailed to Helping Hands Hawai'i, P.O. Box 17780, Honolulu, HI 96817.
Monetary donations 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 440-3804.
Recent donations:
- In Memory of Stanley P. Hu $25
- In Memory of Uncle Harry Sumida $25
- Nancy Pearl $25
- Margaret and Thomas Stanton $25
- Eddie and Corinne Hamamura $35
- Marc Kowalski $50
- Clara and Jiro Ogawa $50
- In Loving Memory of Mendal C. Morey Jr. $100
- In Loving Memory of Vaughn Keola Awai $100
- In Memory of Karen Chee Thompson $100
- Peter and Tencha Jenkins $100
- Anonymous $25
- Anonymous $25
Total: $685
Total to date: $15,949.75
