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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, March 23, 2003

ADVERTISER CHRISTMAS FUND
Donors gave nearly $140,000 to Christmas Fund

Advertiser Staff

Thanks to the generosity of readers and a $21,000 matching-fund gift from its anonymous Santa, The Advertiser Christmas Fund raised nearly $140,000 for Helping Hands Hawai'i during the 2002 campaign.

Many of the stories told in December touched the hearts of readers. The single mother with a special needs child. All she wanted was a folding mattress for her son and someone to watch her son a couple hours a week. The family of five who lost all their belongings in a fire. All they wanted were some dressers and educational toys for the children. The family of siblings, whose parents had died, who needed a freezer for their food.

The $139,923 raised for Helping Hands will extend the holiday spirit of 2002 through most of this year.

Helping Hands Hawai'i has designated the cash contributions to help in two areas, said Renee Ortegero, program manager of the nonprofit organization's Human Resources Division that oversees the Community Clearinghouse.

A portion of the donated money goes to a restrictive fund for families through which Helping Hands buys gift certificates for items such as clothing and food, Ortegero said.

"The remaining balance is used for emergency financial assistance," Ortegero added. Mostly, it goes to families in desperate need of temporary assistance — for example, cash to pay rent in a month they've fallen behind. "It could also be for a utility bill or to renew a disability bus pass," Ortegero said.

"All the money is put to good use and goes a long way to help those less fortunate," Ortegero added. "There's need every day of the year."

In addition, the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation matched and doubled cash donations to The Advertiser Christmas Fund and KITV's "Adopt a Family" Program for a total $100,000. That money went to Helping Hands to help run its programs year-round.

• • •

Donations to The Advertiser Christmas Fund

  • Taylor, William & Amber $300
  • Herbert S.H. Au 250
  • Gerald & Lorraine Hirokawa 200
  • Peter H.Y. His 200
  • Bow Yee Tong 200
  • Philibert & Ernestine Akau & Philibert Kauffman 200
  • Arthur Rees Jr. 150
  • Honolulu Alumnae Chapter of Alpha Iota 150
  • In Memory of Abbie Aulani Mahoe 150
  • In Loving Memory of Mabel M. Oyama 100
  • In Memory of Sunny & Jeffrey Goo 100
  • Peter Cho & Chin Cho Rental 100
  • Raymond Doolan 100
  • Walter & Betty H. Harimoto 100
  • Victor Hunt 100
  • Soichi Matsuoka 100
  • Stanley & Ethel Murakami 100
  • Carl Reber 100
  • David Sakamaki 100
  • Roy & Geraldine Tanimura 100
  • Joyce & Melvin Uyehara 100
  • Lillian Weinberg 100
  • Derrick Yamamoto 100
  • Stanley Yamashita 100
  • Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Choy, Robert & Michael Choy, Mr. & Mrs. Goro Nakamura, Mark Fujii, Jon Choy and Jeff Duerr, Mr. & Mrs. Willis Choy, Mr. & Mrs. William Grix 100
  • In Memory of Mary Roe 25
  • In Memory of Gracie Burgess 25
  • In Memory of Grandpa K & H and Grandma K 50
  • Harmony Bentosino 20
  • Max Clini 20
  • Arthur Saguid 20
  • Roy Agena 25
  • Patricia & Buddie Bruce 25
  • Donna & Stan Clancy-Nakama 25
  • Bruce & Denise Ellinwood 25
  • Norman & Jean Freitas 25
  • Ronald Honda 25
  • Mary O.S. Kang 25
  • Richard & Norma Ma 25
  • Judith Moore 25
  • Clara & Jiro Ogawa 25
  • Robert Sumida 25
  • Mildred L. Seastrom 25
  • Corey Shibata 25
  • Mildred Uyeno 25
  • Marvin & Mary Waters 25
  • Yan Tim & Jacqueline Lum 25
  • Arthur & Mary-Ann Golden 25
  • Capt. John L. Burke, U.S.N. (Ret) 25
  • Connie Ng 25
  • Howard & Patti Matsuda 25
  • Joshua & Micah Nicely and Nicholas Peilek 30
  • Alfred & Elizabeth Yee 50
  • Nancy Dudoit 50
  • Louise Kim 50
  • Garret Masuda 50
  • Sarah N & Matthew O 50
  • Jeanine, Jordan & Jaenatt 50
  • Michael Speer 50
  • Lee Tanimura 50
  • Philip Trachsel 50
  • James & Lyn Turner 50
  • Anonymous 50
  • Anonymous 50
  • Anonymous 50
  • Anonymous 50
  • Anonymous 100
  • Anonymous 150
  • Anonymous 1,000

Total $6,040

Final total $139,923.82