The Star-Bulletin's Good Neighbor Fund collected about $3,000 more this holiday season than it did last year as of Thursday, showing that community members are willing to give, despite the tough economy.

This Christmas spirit enabled Good Neighbor Fund partner Helping Hands Hawaii to assist a lot more people than it has in decades through its Adopt-a-Family program, said Scott Morishige, program coordinator.

The Good Neighbor Fund raised about $16,620 by year's end; it usually totals $13,000 by mid-January, Morishige said.

“;At the beginning of December, I was really worried that donations this year would be way down due to the economy and the impact of the state (government) furloughs and layoffs. This year's Adopt-a-Family program was the biggest that our agency has experienced, with 174 families referred to us this year. Normally, we only assist around 100 families. In addition, many of the families were faced with serious health problems or severe poverty. ...

...”;However, people's generosity this year has been overwhelming, and we are still continuing to receive donations today even though Christmas is a week past. Fortunately, we were able to provide gifts for all of the families,”; he said.

He was amazed to receive donations from tourists who read newspaper stories of families in need, including one Maui visitor who made an anonymous donation of $1,000, he added.

In 2009, Helping Hands Hawaii was able to assist 1,944 households with food, clothing and furniture, and an additional 2,103 households with emergency financial assistance, Morishige said.

The nonprofit was incorporated in 1974 but evolved from the Honolulu Council of Social Agencies' Volunteer Placement Bureau in 1941.

DONATIONS