Everyone deserves a second chance, and we can all help give it to them.
John recently spent time incarcerated. He was released and is in need of bedding, as he has moved into a home. He is trying to get healthy by exercising more and could use a nice pair of running shoes.
Another man trying to turn his life around is Ron. He recently lost a family member and has had a rough few years, including spending time in jail. He is turning himself around and is taking care of his nieces and nephews while working full time. He would like to purchase some items for the kids like clothes and shoes.
Kenny is a hard-working young man who has been recovering for years from past misfortunes. He has been training to be a mason and could use durable clothing, including a good pair of steel-toe boots.
And then there is Sova, who took a wrong path early in life. He served time in jail and has learned his lessons. He has a job, but could use a bike to ride to work and then back home.
It is folks like these The Garden Island/Zonta Club Christmas Fund hopes to help.
This holiday season, hundreds of requests for help from the Zonta Club Christmas Fund have come in from families and individuals through social-service agencies.
This year’s contributions have topped $22,000 and are still coming in.
Here’s how it work.
Through Christmas Eve, The Garden Island will share daily, front-page stories about families (we don’t use their real names) facing challenges and who would appreciate a little help.
The Christmas Fund is an avenue for everyone to provide assistance. Each donation is accounted for and recorded. There are no administrators collecting salaries. The money goes directly, via the Zonta Club, to help those who need it, for Christmas presents and groceries.
The Zonta Club of Kauai was started April 1, 1952, and in the ’80s added the Zonta Club of Kauai Foundation, a nonprofit for fundraising.
Also in the 1980s, Zonta Club of Kauai partnered with TGI to publish stories — with information provided by social-service agencies — about their clients’ needs so they could have a brighter Christmas.
Donations may be made to: The Zonta Club of Kauai Foundation, P.O. Box, 3032, Lihue, HI 96766, or by way of their website: zonta-kauai.org.
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Bill Buley, editor-in-chief, can be reached at 245-0457 or bbuley@thegardenisland.com.
