Basic needs fill family's wish list
By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
When C.F.'s mother became critically ill, C.F. left five of her seven children in Hawai'i with their father, packed up her baby and her boy with a kidney disorder, and went home to American Samoa to care for Mom.
While she was gone, her ex-husband, the father of her children, lost his job.
When she returned to Hawai'i with her sick mother, the children didn't have clothes and her ex-husband was unable to feed them.
Her mother died shortly afterward.
C.F. works at a retail store and lives with her sister now. Five of her children sleep with her in a single room at her sister's house. Two others sleep at relatives' houses and stay with C.F. until bedtime.
C.F. gets up at 3 a.m. and irons her school-age children's clothing so that even though the clothes are old, the children will look nice. Before she leaves for work at 5 a.m., she labels each set of clothes and sets out lunch money. Her 15-year-old daughter — C.F.'s oldest — dresses her siblings and takes them to school.
"My kids need clothes and shoes," C.F. said, "especially my oldest daughter. She is wearing the clothes I bought for her two years ago."
One of C.F.'s sons has only one functioning kidney, and his diet has to be watched closely. He needs nutritious food. Another has a learning disability and struggles with language.
To donate, send checks payable to "The Advertiser Christmas Fund" to Helping Hands Hawai'i, P.O. Box 17780, Honolulu, HI 96817. Monetary donations also may be dropped off at any First Hawaiian Bank branch. Goods can be donated at the Community Clearinghouse at 2100 N. Nimitz Highway, near Pu'uhale Road. For details, call 440-3804.
C.F. works hard to provide for her children, but even with long hours, her wages at a department store don't come close to covering the family's expenses.
HOW TO HELP
C.F. and her children do not have beds. They sleep on the floor.
The family doesn't have a television. Also, the youngest children would like to have educational toys and games.
In addition to her 15-year-old daughter, C.F. has a 10-year-old and a 1-year-old daughter. Her sons are 8, 7, 5 and 4 years old.
Christmas Fund donations will be used for families who need help making it through the holidays. Any money remaining after the holidays will be used to help those in need throughout the year. For information on how to donate, see the "How to Help" box.
Our anonymous Santa is matching the first $25 of each donation to the Christmas Fund.
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Recent donations to The Advertiser Christmas Fund
- Byron Kaya $200
- Russell A. & Dale J.K. Ota $200
- In Memory of our beloved Papa, Mom Nancy & Daddy Benny, and Sweet Brah, Ronnie $150
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- In Memory of Christopher Kong $100
- In Memory of Laurel A. Muneoka $100
- In Memory of Vivian Minamoto $100
- K & A Tsuhako Grandchildren $100
- K & J $100
- Milton & Flo Kakaio $100
- Mary V. Lee $100
- Lawrence R. Montoya $100
- Michael R. Walsh $100
- Marna Rae Wickham $100
- Grace T. & Stanley F.S. Wong $100
- Lauren & Chris Hu $50
- Mary O.S. Kang $50
- Nyssa & Allegra Thompson $50
- Eric M. & Patricia L. Scharff $50
- Patrick T. & Nancy K. Sonoda $50
- Daniel I. & Ethel E. Takamatsu $50
- Linda C. Kuo $30
- James A. & Nancy Brede $25
- In Loving Memory of Claire Nobue Tanaka $25
- In Loving Memory of George Yoshiyuki Tanaka $25
- In Loving Memory of John Shoei Higa $25
- In Loving Memory of Linda Gail Lee $25
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- In Memory of Pacifico "John" Padilla Jr. $25
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- Anonymous $100
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Total $2,700
Previous total $20,256
Total to date $22,956
