KAIMUKI — There's a cozy home on Kilauea Avenue where families of seriously ill children take refuge.

And after 15 years of hosting weekly support group meetings, monthly family dinners and hundreds of respites, the aging house run by the nonprofit HUGS is in desperate need of repairs.

The oak veneer flooring is splintering and the doors are termite-eaten. The picnic tables in the backyard are warped and weathered. The sand in the playground area needs to be replaced. And the see-saw — installed just a few months ago — is already broken.

"This house gets used quite a bit," said Donna Witsell, executive director of HUGS (Help, Understanding & Group Support).

The nonprofit, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, has helped more than 1,400 families of seriously ill children in Hawai'i.

On an operating budget of just $370,000 a year, the nonprofit provides everything from emergency medical airfare to four-hour respites to give parents a much-needed break — all free of charge.

It also provides food boxes to needy families, runs support groups, hosts family dinners and outings, provides phone cards and transportation to Neighbor Island families and aids in funeral expenses.

The biggest benefit for families, though, is the interaction they get with other people going through similar situations.

"The key is keeping the family intact," said Catha Lee Combs, a 47-year-old Hawai'i Kai mom whose 14-year-old daughter was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth and now is wheelchair-bound. "When you're going through it, you don't know where to go or what to do. With HUGS we were able to meet other families who have been through it, too."

The heart of the organization lies in this nearly 90-year-old home. In addition to housing HUGS offices, the home is where many of the parents come together, whether for support group meetings or monthly massages.

Two Fridays a month, parents can leave their children here for four hours while they reconnect as a couple.

The kids play in the backyard, paint in the living room, watch DVDs or just hang out in the back bedroom, which is filled with toys and books.

"Sometimes it's the only break families get," Combs said. "This (respite) plays an important role because it keeps them going."

The goal, Witsell said, is to create happy memories for these families who are going through such emotionally difficult times. "It's that quality of life we want to inject back in," Witsell said.

HUGS was founded in 1982 by a small group of volunteers from Unity Church who realized the challenges and stresses families with seriously ill children face.

Twenty-five years and three locations later, the organization, mostly through word-of-mouth, has grown and now boasts about 125 core volunteers helping nearly 700 parents and children today.

"HUGS is small and simple and real," said Rep. Barbara Marumoto, R-19th (Wai'alae Iki, Kalani Valley, Kahala), HUGS founding board member and honorary trustee. "It's such a compassionate organization. It's all heart."

Still, it wants to do more.

The home could use some repairs and its pantry could use more food. More importantly, Witsell said, they want to reach more families in need.

"We just have to touch people and let them know who we are," Combs said. "That will make a big difference."

Reach Catherine E. Toth at ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.