CHURCHES LIFT HOLIDAY JOY
Churches expanding outreach to the needy
By Mary Vorsino
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer
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Across the state this Christmas, hundreds of families are enjoying a brighter holiday thanks to dozens of churches, whose members have reached into their hearts — and their wallets — to donate toys, cook meals and pass out food.
"This economy is just making it hard," said Renee Arizo of Palolo, who was able to get some basics and a few treats for her family from the food pantry at Saint Patrick Church yesterday. Arizo, whose husband was laid off the day after Thanksgiving, said this holiday season has been especially tough on her and her family.
She added that what churches do to help is "very important."
"A lot of people are having a hard time," she said.
Charities statewide will attest to that. Over the past several months as the economy has worsened and hundreds in the Islands have lost their jobs, nonprofits have been swamped by the growing numbers of families asking for emergency food help and financial aid.
To meet those growing needs — and to fulfill their mission of community service — many churches have helped fill the gaps this holiday season. Some churches have passed out food, others have handed out gifts. Several have prepared holiday meals for the homeless.
"If we are able to take some of these folks ... and show them they're special, hopefully they'll forget their situation for a moment," said Utu Langi, the founder of Hawaii Helping the Hungry Have Hope at the First United Methodist Church on Beretania Street.
Yesterday morning, volunteers from Hawaii Helping the Hungry delivered a truckload of wrapped Christmas presents to dozens of homeless children at Hale'iwa Boat Harbor.
Other examples of churches helping the needy this Christmas include:
FAMILIAR TRADITION
For churches, Christmas giving is nothing new.
But this year, many churches expanded their outreach in the face of growing need. Free food pantries at churches are passing out more food than ever and several places of worship have expanded their gift drives to make sure no child goes without a toy on Christmas Day.
The line for the food pantry at Kaumakapili Church yesterday started even before the doors opened at 8:30 a.m., and about 80 people were expected to come throughout the day for some Christmas meal fare and a few staples, like rice and cereal. The first 20 people got a special treat — a certificate for a free ham. "It's the children that I'm worried about," said Patricia Madeiros, chairwoman for the outreach program at Kaumakapili Church.
Madeiros said more and more families are coming to the free food pantry to get them through the month. Nowadays, about 500 people come each month, compared to just 200 a few months ago.
This time of year, Madeiros tries her hardest to make sure no family goes without. "It gives me a good feeling that I'm helping families with children," she said.
At Central Union Church yesterday, volunteers were busy preparing the food for a Christmas Day feast for the homeless. The meal, called "Home for Christmas," has been put on for the past several years. But this year, more people than ever are set to attend — about 250, compared to 175 last year. To put on the big meal, the church cooks about six hams, eight turkeys, "tons of mashed potatoes," and dozens of pies, said volunteer Ray Pratt.
Dean Vestal, associate minister and city missionary for Central Union, said the meal, which follows a Christmas Mass, embodies the message of the season — and of the church.
"We are reaching out to people with love," he said.
The members of Grace Bible Church in Pearl City are also reaching out to the needy.
For the third year, parishioners have adopted low-income families, getting them necessities — like baby diapers and clothes — and some toys for the kids. In all, about 55 families were adopted, and parishioners delivered their gifts in person to families this week. Camille Omo, Grace Bible community pastor, said the big request this year was for food certificates. "They are so in need of food," she said. "Some specifically ask for it."
Alice Dailey, the outreach coordinator for Our Lady of Good Counsel on Waimano Home Road, said she is also seeing big increases in requests for food. The church operates a food pantry and, during the holidays, a free "store" — where kids can pick up goodies.
Dailey said the food pantry has been swamped this year. From January to November, the food pantry served about 3,700 people. In all of last year, the pantry served 1,500 people.
"This is not only homeless people, but it's the middle class," Dailey said.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
In Hale'iwa yesterday, dozens of homeless kids were treated to a delivery of wrapped presents.
"These little things really make a lot of difference," said Kapua Tani, coordinator for Hawaii Helping the Hungry at the First United Methodist Church.
He said the help churches provide during Christmas has never been more vital.
"We've got churches from all over the state chipping in," he said.
This year, Kawaiaha'o Church gave out gift certificates to needy families so they could buy necessities, like toiletries and food, plus some toys and clothes for the kids. Kahu Curt Kekuna said recently that he's lost count on how many gift certificates were handed out.
"This year, there seems to be more need," he said.
Kekuna added the families the church helps are always grateful.
But this Christmas, they seem to be just a little bit more touched by the generosity.
"Most of them are just pickled that anyone is thinking about them," he said.
At Saint Patrick Church on Palolo Avenue yesterday, outreach coordinator Pat Kaslausky was passing out packages of food. There were also wrapped gifts for children and bags of toiletries for any homeless people who happened to drop by.
"At this time, our economic system is really bad," Kaslausky said, who has helped operate the daily food pantry for more than two decades. "People are unemployed. We're getting more and more people needing help. People are coming in for food for Christmas."
Reach Mary Vorsino at mvorsino@honoluluadvertiser.com.
