Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Isle firefighter association
served as a 9/11 middlemanQuestion: After the tragedy on Sept. 11, the Star-Bulletin published a list of places one could make donations to support relief efforts. One listing was for the "New York Fire 9-11 Relief Fund." One of the donations we made was to that fund, and we followed the instructions printed in the Star-Bulletin. According to the endorsement, the check was deposited to the credit of the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association. I find the endorsement startling and worrying. The donation was intended to support relief efforts in New York. Is there any way to find out what actually happened to our money?
Answer: Because people responded so generously with "millions" of checks nationwide, it was easier for the New York recipients to have the checks consolidated, explained an official with the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association.
The association served simply as the collection point, she said.
"We ran a tape on the checks we received, and we gave it to (the New York firefighter associations)."
Locally, checks could either be dropped off at any Oahu fire station or sent to the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association. Checks, which were supposed to be made out to the New York Fire 9-11 Relief Fund, were all deposited with the Bank of Hawaii. Then a cashier's check, for about $225,000, was sent to the New York fund.
If you have any more questions, call the local association at 949-1566, or you can check the Web site for the International Association of Fire Fighters, www.iaff.org.
According to the Web site, the New York Fire 9-11 Relief Fund is "the only fund officially endorsed by the IAFF and the executive boards of Uniformed Firefighters Association of New York, Local 94, and New York Uniformed Fire Officer Association, Local 854."
Donations are tax-deductible.
Q: What's with the online Social Security application? I have been trying for the past two months but can't get past the page after name and Social Security number. I qualify to file, per first page questions. I called the 800 number and was told there was a problem but to keep trying. I e-mailed feedback but, of course, got no response. Can you help?
A: There hasn't been a reported generalized problem with the online system, said local Social Security Administration spokesman Tim Walsh.
Yours could be an individual problem with the system. If you still cannot file online, he suggested calling the 800 number -- 800-772-1213 -- and filing via "immediate claims taking." However, you must have all your documents handy, including birth certificate, most recent W-2 tax form, military papers if you were in the service, etc.
Rather than wait for an interview and a future appointment, you can be connected immediately to a claims representative who can take a claim at that point, Walsh said. If not, they can at least set you up with an appointment, he said.
Meanwhile, Walsh recommends the online system, www.ssa.gov, for people comfortable with computers, as a quick and easy process.
Q: Where can I dispose of my old eyeglasses?
A: You can donate your old eyeglasses -- sunglasses, reading glasses, major prescription glasses, broken glasses, frames alone, lenses alone and even eyeglass cases -- to the Lions Club International.
Call 524-7025, Hawaii Lions District 50, to find a collection box in one of 64 areas statewide. The Lions collect, clean and package used glasses for shipment to needy people around the world.
Got a question or complaint?
Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com