LIHU‘E — Through Christmas Eve, The Garden Island will share daily, front-page stories about families and individuals (we don’t use their real names), who are facing challenges and would appreciate a little help this holiday season.
The Christmas Fund is an avenue for everyone to provide that assistance. Donations are used by Zonta Club members to purchase gift certificates that are in turn distributed to families and individuals through social-service agencies.
Each donation is accounted for and recorded. There are no administrative costs involved, and money goes directly to provide for those in need of Christmas presents and groceries.
If you hold a fundraiser for the Christmas Fund, let us know and we’ll spread the word. Anyone making a donation of $200 or more can have their picture published in TGI.
Also, for every $250 donation given to the Christmas Fund, Hale Uluwehi Charitable Foundation will match up to $5,000.
Donations may be made by way of the website, Zonta-Kaua‘i.org, or checks can be made payable to The Zonta Club of Kaua‘i Foundation, P.O. Box 3032, Lihu‘e, HI 96766.
The following are some stories we would like to share with our readers.
w Alison is a single mother of four children, ages 2 through 13, who is currently experiencing homelessness. Alison needs clothes, shoes, a stroller for Jake, 2, and a backpack to help carry her belongings and supplies as she uses the bus. The three oldest kids need backpacks and water bottles for school, new shoes and clothes.
Kai, 13, loves to play basketball at the park and would love a ball of his own. Mia, 9, is the artist of the family and would love art and craft supplies to create her masterpieces outside of school. Mark, 6, loves Power Rangers and coloring. He would love coloring books, crayons and an action figure. Jake needs clothes, shoes and he would love a few new toys to play with as well.
w Ashley would visit Kaua‘i with her mom and aunt when she was a child. Bonding as ‘ohana on Kaua‘i was stronger than any other place we knew. Her circumstances were never great; she was raised by a broken family and missed out on the lessons and guidance a strong family can provide for a learning child. She did not marry her first child’s father and he did not provide for a family like she hoped.
Her mom had made a life on Kaua‘i and offered her a home here, too. She lived on Kaua‘i for 13 years and her oldest daughter is now in middle school. She is burdened with expenses she cannot meet as a single parent earning low wages. Her oldest daughter does well and deserves much more. She is expecting her second child in a couple months.
It’s sad for her, but she realizes the father of her second child will not be supporting her family either. She recognizes that she has a life of hardship ahead that could have been avoided. She does not want her children to encounter the same hardships she have faced.
Her goal is to seek educational assistance support to complete a bachelor of arts degree and move forward with a career that can sufficiently support her children and herself. She hopes with the success, caring and sharing of others to ease her hardships and bring more comfort to her daughters and herself at this junction of her life. She would be thankful for the helpfulness and kindness that aids her as she confronts her challenges as she moves toward bettering herself.
