Father on dialysis worries about gifts for his childrenBy Joe Segura, Long Beach Press Telegram
POSTED: 12/19/13, 6:37 PM PST |
LONG BEACH >> Dialysis is a drain on the system, and one young father hopes that he will receive a kidney transplant in the near future.
These days, however, the single parent worries that he will not have toys for his four children.
He’s been handling the challenges of raising the foursome since October, when his wife left them.
The family is part of the Holiday Dreams campaign, a longtime partnership between the Press-Telegram and the Salvation Army that collects toys and food for needy families.
The disabled father is unemployed, and benefits cover only his housing costs.
The wait for a kidney transplant averages around five years, the father said, adding that his only hope for toys for the children is the Holiday Dreams program.
Throughout the city, the need is growing, with more than 850 families signing up for holiday gifts and food this year, according to Salvation Army officials.
Salvation Army volunteers are scrambling, determined to meet the dreams of needy children, their families and the elderly.
Toys are needed for children from infants to age 12, said Bobbi Robb, coordinator of the Salvation Army’s holiday drive.
The gifts should not be wrapped, Robb said.
Donations are also needed for holiday meals for the families.
Gift cards from local markets will also be given to seniors who are without families, Robb said.
Want to help?
To donate money, send checks or money orders made payable to the Salvation Army to:
Holiday Dreams c/o Joe Segura, Press-Telegram, 300 Oceangate, Suite 110, Long Beach, CA 90844.
To donate goods: Visit the Salvation Army, 455 E. Spring St., Long Beach, or call 562-426-7637, Ext. 223.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joe Segura
Reach the author at joe.segura@presstelegram.com or follow Joe on Twitter: JoeSeguraPT.
http://www.presstelegram.com/general-news/20131219/father-on-dialysis-worries-about-gifts-for-his-children
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