Today's Lokahi mom has her hands full.She's a single mom taking care of her four children ages 5 through 15.
She also cares for her 31 year old brother who has special needs and her 62 year old mother who suffers from diabetes.
This family of seven lives in a small two bedroom apartment.
Mom and children sleep in one bedroom, her brother sleeps in the other.
Grandma sleeps in the living room.
The family doesn't own any furniture.
The kids sleep on blankets on the floor and hold their plates on their lap at dinnertime.
This is mom's daily routine: She walks her children to school every morning at 6:30.
She returns home, feeds her brother, cleans him and makes sure he takes his medication.
She then feeds her mom and gives her his medication.
Then she heads out the door to catch a bus for her part-time job in town.
The two older children are not your typical 12 and 15 year olds.
Instead of hanging out with friends, they spend a lot of their time taking care of their younger siblings.
Mom would love to make this a special Christmas for her children.
Here is what she'd get them if she could:
For the 15 year old boy, football shoes or a backpack.
The 13 year old girl would love a MP3 player or a Hot iron for her hair.
The two youngest kids watch the other kids in the neighborhood ride their bikes and scooters. They'd be thrilled to have one of their own.
Mom and grandma are not asking for anything for themselves, but say they could use a haircut. Mom's brother could also use a haircut or shaving kit.
This family would also appreciate toiletries, cleaning products, blankets and pillows.
A big mahalo to the Gold Guys at Ward Center.
They are giving today’s Lokahi family a $50 gift card for groceries.
