Many needy families are enjoying a brighter, merrier Christmas today because of the caring generosity of Hawai'i residents.

Thanks to those who donated to The Advertiser Christmas Fund, children who otherwise would have no presents to open this morning have toys and new clothes. Some families who have been sleeping on hard floors have beds and blankets.

One 28-year-old single mother featured in a series of stories for the last month was overwhelmed when a washer and sofa from an anonymous donor were delivered to her home. Her 4-year-old daughter received toys and a dollhouse, and the family also received a $250 Kmart gift card, which they used to buy clothes and other necessities.

"I'm just overwhelmed with joy," said the working mother, who asked that her name not be used. "My daughter's excited.

"I just want to say thank you," the mother said. "We appreciate it. We really do. ... I'm just really grateful."

Hundreds of generous donors — from residents and visitors to businesses and schools — helped raise more than $174,000 for The Advertiser Christmas Fund. People also have donated goods, from beds and couches to clothing and toys.

Donations will continue to be accepted for this year's Advertiser Christmas Fund. Our anonymous Santa once again is matching the first $25 of each donation.

Last year, the Christmas Fund raised a total of $214,202. The record raised was $220,861 in 2005.

All the money from the fund supports the Community Clearinghouse, which not only helps to brighten the holidays for the needy but provides emergency financial and material assistance to thousands of families and individuals throughout the year.

The help, which is provided year-round, depends primarily on money raised during the holiday season, said Community Clearinghouse program manager Maria Chomyszak.

And the need always seems to grow, she said. This year, there was not only an increase in the number of people asking for assistance, but growth in requests for basic items, such as food, toiletries and clothing, she said.

But at the same time, donors have been "incredibly generous," and in many cases have become more creative, she said.

Second- and third-graders at Hongwanji Mission School adopted a family for the first time this year. The children were moved when they learned the family's wish list included pillows and blankets rather than video games or skateboards, said third-grade teacher Jennifer Wells.

Students, parents and teachers worked together to give the family — a single mom caring for a baby boy and a niece — items ranging from diapers and clothes to toys, books and new dressers.

Some students handed over their allowance money, a grandmother hand-sewed a quilt, and one family donated a crib. The school also invited the adopted family to its Christmas program and lunch.

"It was definitely a great learning experience for the students," Wells said. "No matter how young they are — they're 7- and 8-year-olds — they're able to make a difference."

Holly Holowach, director of Weinberg Village Waimanalo, said she's always amazed at the generosity of people.

"The parents are just blown away," she said. "These are people who are struggling every day to survive.

"Whenever they are given presents like this, they are so grateful. We see how ... amazed they are and how touched they are to be getting this. They wouldn't have this kind of Christmas without the donors to the Christmas Fund."

Some families are even stunned by how generous donors are, Chomyszak said.

"This one lady kept saying, 'Are you sure that's all for me and my family?' " she said. "They're happy, and they're crying, and they're excited. Sometimes they'll bring their kids (to pick up donations) and their eyes are just as big as can be when they see these presents.

"That's the best part," she said. "That's what it's all about."

RECENT DONATIONS TO THE ADVERTISER CHRISTMAS FUND

Anonymous $2,000

Philip Brouillet $1,000

Students & Staff of Kaneohe

Elementary School $686.25

Manuheali'i Inc. $500

Joseph Murphy $500

David & Anna Sneed $500

Mark & Barbara Schneider Yeackel $500

Pilot Air Freight $440

John Lynch in memory of Daisy Lynch $400

Louise Matsushige $400

C.M. Bidwell & Associates $300

Garrett Y.H. Choy $300

Hattie & Bob $300

Raquel Chan-Ikeda & Alvin Ikeda $250

Clawed Motana $250

Naleo Olokahi Faurot $250

Kaalakaiopono Faurot $250

John Hoffee $250

Brian Hughes $250

Marcia & Lenny Klompus $250

Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Choi,

Hilo Hawai'i $200

Randall Hiraki $200

Rich & Jo Murphy $200

Rocky & Agnes Shiraki $200

Sparkplugs $200

Molly & Walter Strode $200

Michael Wood $200

Kara Yamane-Obana $183

Gloria, Salsa & Jolie in loving memory of Leon J. Munson $150

Isaac & Dana Naone Hall in memory of Issac D. Hall Sr. & Daniel L. Naone Jr. $150

E.K. Nichols & D.N. Baba in memory of BHK, Victoria & Daniel $150

Reyna, Jessica & Caitlin $150

H.H. & F.S. Abe $100

Anthony & Angela Amorin in loving memory of Joeldene Amroin $100

P. Pasha Baker $100

Celestia & Edward Bourke $100

Milda & William Burkhalter $100

Michael Burns $100

F & S $100

Jan & Dean Fox $100

Leilehua & Alfred Furtado $100

Neal & Sylvia Hashimoto $100

Sandra Ing in loving memory of Stanley & Agnes Ing $100

Juliet Jakahi $100

johnancysiena $100

Katie, Molly, Sean, Steven & Julian $100

Crystal Kawachi $100

The Kong Family in memory of Maurice E. Kong $100

Kwock Kids in memory of Sumiko Lovewell $100

Patricia Lancaster - Swim School Inc. $100

Maylene Lau $100

Earl Lau $100

Nancy Bey Little $100

Mack & Annie $100

David & Helen McNeil $100

Sharon S. McPhee $100

Shigeto & Natsuko Minami $100

Kay & Glenn Nishimura $100

Carol J. O'Neill $100

Joyce & Robert Oshita $100

Frances Oshita in loving memory of Kenneth Fujimoto $100

Oyama Family in memory of Hisa Oyama $100

P & J $100

Mildred Perkins in loving memory of Frank J.K. Perkins $100

Jennie Phillips $100

Leimana & Hiilani Pila $100

Pop & G. Loo's Grandchildren $100

Laura & Lincoln Reifsteck $100

Rocco's Family $100

Nancy Rocheleau in loving memory of Mom N.H. $100

Nancy Rocheleau in loving memory of Dad N.H. $100

Tom & Dorothy Sakamoto $100

Joseph & Jan Sam in

memory of Dr. Roy Sam $100

Francis & Patricia Santos in loving memory of Baby Matt $100

Tace Schmidt $100

Larry & Karoline Ho Shih $100

Dixon Smith $100

Penny Smith $100

Sharon & Dick Solmssen & Ohana in memory of Mary Kimball $100

Russell Struyk & Duane Hoomana $100

Randall & Joyce Suzuki $100

Carolyn L. Suzuki in loving

memory of Remington $100

Taylor (13), Alec (11), Julie Henderson & Tiffany $100

Karry & Matt Terwilliger $100

Sandra Vahine $100

Betty Vitousek $100

Michael Walsh $100

John Wells $100

Kevin, Patrick, Timothy & Daniel Williams in loving memory of Matthew Jee Yul Williams $100

Narcissus Yap in memory of Walter F.L. Yap $100

Brant & Cody Yasaka $100

Francis & Janet Yokoe $100

Darryl, Paula & Sam Yonezawa in loving memory of Akira Amakawa $100

Darryl, Paula & Sam Yonezawa in loving memory of Violet Kim $100

Darryl, Paula & Sam Yonezawa in loving memory of Hilda Yonezawa $100

SHIPS Class 1992 $92

Carol Abe & Roger Anderson $50

Deron Akiona $50

Anthony & Naomi Andrade in loving memory of Kellie Ann Andrade $50

Anthony & Naomi Andrade in loving memory of Greg Yokomizo $50

Albert & Soledad Aquino $50

Kimberly & Paulino Ayson $50

Patrick & Sharon Cambra $50

Sheila & Glenn Chena $50

Jamieson Cheng $50

Amy & Rob Cheung $50

John & Barbara Chun $50

Lee Ann Cobb $50

Kevin Crabb $50

Thomas & Ethel Fragas $50

Pamela Hall $50

Stephen Hewgley $50

Margaret Higa $50

Ronald Honda $50

George Iwanaga $50

Kaneshiro & Inouye Families in loving memory of Sumiko Lovewell $50

Katherine Kawaguchi in memory of Osayo Miura $50

Edna Kawai $50

Edward Koshi $50

Pat Lafleur $50

David & Kim Lau $50

Christins Lau & Marc

Nakamoto $50

Helen Liu $50

Winston & Kathleen Lowe $50

Yuriko & Cheong Lum $50

Jennifer Matsumura $50

Matt & Nate in memory of Dr. Ed Nakagawa $50

Michael & Matthew $50

Amy & David Monk $50

Judith & Ramsay Mori in memory of Mam, Papa, Tutu & Grand Dad $50

Kelsi Morikuni $50

Ellen Muller in memory of Clifford Muller, Danny Olievera $50

Alice Muraki $50

James Rosenswike $50

JP & Marjorie Russell $50

Kasey Sabin $50

Matthew Jr. & James III Safery $50

Shyanne & Skyelar A. $50

Kevin Shields $50

Rita & J. Campbell Shuford $50

Adrian Kin Lee Tr $50

Nobu & Mitsuyo Tsuchiya $50

Joan Ukishima $50

Nicole Virtudes $50

Kathleen & David Wilson $50

Kuniko & E.M. Yamashiro $50

Milton & Jane Iha $40

Gladys Pualoa-Ahuna $40

Masura Higa $35

Alan Lau $35

Deborah Carr $30

Chani & Kayla $30

Moani-Lehua Aki $25

Deron Akiona in honor of Lloyd Sr. & Markhan Akiona $25

Erma Arenson in loving memory of Harry Arenson $25

Erika Berry $25

Claude Carvalho $25

Merna & Richard Chang $25

Wonlyn Ching $25

Ben Chun $25

Andrew Chun $25

Sheri Corpuz $25

Diggity's Ohana $25

Electra Gailas Fair $25

Jose Gaceta Jr. $25

Kori Goo in loving memory of Auntie Diane Iwasaki $25

Herbert & Lillian Hirata $25

Daniel Imamura in memory of Andrew Shoji $25

Daniel Imamura in memory of Grant Yorita $25

In memory of Shigeo Tanji $25

Mary Onishi in memory of Ayako Takahashi $25

Dawn Johnson $25

Paul Kawamura $25

Paul Kobayashi $25

Patricia Laemoa $25

Trisha Browrigg & Bonafice

Leasure $25

Hilda Lee in loving memory of Susan Lee Lukacovic $25

Robert & Nancy Matsuda &

Holly Fujishige $25

Julie Muraoka $25

D. & E. Nakagawa $25

Elizabeth Olsen - Best wishes from the Big Island! $25

Shari & Betsy Olores $25

Nancy Pond $25

Tyler & Yvonne Takehara $25

Masaji, Peggy & Wendy

Takeuchi $25

Alan Tanji $25

Henry Tanji $25

Francis Tanji $25

D.J. Terwilliger $25

Thanh Tran $25

Clara & Gordon Wong $25

Angela & Noelle Yoza $25

Judith Brown $20

Suzie M. Setzler $20

Anonymous $250

Anonymous $250

Anonymous $200

Anonymous $200

Anonymous $150

Anonymous in memory of Reynold Leong $100

Anonymous in memory of Frances Hee $100

Anonymous in memory of

Herbert Hee $100

Anonymous $100

Anonymous $100

Anonymous $100

Anonymous $100

Anonymous $100

Anonymous $100

Anonymous $100

Anonymous $100

Anonymous in memory of Robert Minoru Fujihara $50

Anonymous in loving memory of Yoshiyuki Takahashi $50

Anonymous $50

Anonymous $50

Anonymous $50

Anonymous $50

Anonymous $50

Anonymous $50

Anonymous $50

Anonymous $50

Anonymous $50

Anonymous $40

Anonymous in loving memory of Kim T. Pang $25

Anonymous in memory of Pudge & Bing $25

Anonymous in memory of John McShane $25

Anonymous in memory of Dando Leuever $25

Anonymous in memory of Leigh Bergh $25

Anonymous in memory of Tremaine Tamayose $25

Anonymous in memory of Norris Shimabuku $25

Anonymous $25

Anonymous $25

Anonymous $25

Anonymous $25

Anonymous $25

Anonymous $25

Anonymous $25

Anonymous $25

Anonymous $25

Anonymous $25

Anonymous $21

Anonymous $20

Anonymous $20

Anonymous $20

Anonymous $20

Anonymous $20

Anonymous $20

Anonymous $20

Anonymous $20

Total $25,247.25

Previous total $149,032.28

Total to date $174,279.53

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com.

Make a difference. Donate to The Advertiser Christmas Fund.