Christmas fund helps us, others make a difference

By Anne Harpham

Christmas fund helps us, others make a difference

For more than half a century, Advertiser readers have given generously to our annual Christmas Fund drive.

Last year, the fund raised almost $140,000, money that went to Helping Hands Hawai'i, a social-services agency that has served this community for 25 years. But that $140,000 was not

the entirety of the giving spirit last year. Readers also donated clothing, furniture, toys, household items and more.

And one reader, our Secret Santa, matched the first $25 of each donation. Our anonymous Santa has been part of our Christmas drive for more than 10 years. Last year, "Santa" donated more than $21,000.

The Christmas Fund follows a standard format each year.

To kick off the Christmas Fund, we interview social-service providers to try to get a sense of the need in the community. Then we run daily stories, through Christmas Eve, telling readers about particular individuals or families and their needs.

The stories are real, the names are not. It is rare for a newspaper to write about people without identifying them, but in the case of the Christmas Fund, we would counteract the good our readers do by being so generous if we identified people who must turn to others for help.

The basic information for our Christmas Fund stories comes to us from social-service agencies that work with Helping Hands. We rely on the caseworkers for the veracity of the information, although we often talk to the families ourselves to get more information.

We do have some requirements. We ask Helping Hands and the social-service agencies to try to focus on people who are in need because of circumstances out of their control or need some help while they get themselves back on their feet.

We admit it, we're softies, and we're particularly touched by the needs of children in this season that is joyful for most of us but not so for so many.

But, while we are more than happy to ask for gifts of toys for children, we do not ask for frivolous items. In truth, few people ask for what most of us regard as frivolous or luxuries. In fact, we are often touched by how little some people ask for.

And we are equally touched by the generosity of the community.

When you read the lists of donors, you will see the names of school classes that have chipped in to give to others or have held bake sales or other fund-raisers and workplaces that have collected money. Many gifts are given in memory of loved ones.

First Hawaiian Bank has graciously helped us for the past several years by collecting Christmas Fund donations at its branches.

Helping Hands compiles for us the donor lists, which we publish the morning after we receive them. We are committed to being fully accountable to donors, so let us know if you do not see your name in a timely fashion. But, please, do give Helping Hands time to process the checks and compile the lists.

Every so often, we are asked if efforts such as the Christmas Fund are really journalism. It isn't news coverage by any means. But it is our own effort to help make a difference in this community and to acknowledge all those who do make a difference through their contributions.

Anne Harpham is The Advertiser's reader representative. Reach her at aharpham@honoluluadvertiser.com and 525-8033.