A month ago, Zoe Quewon and six children, ages 18 months to 16 years, were living out of boxes and sleeping on the floor of a new apartment, after being displaced when the home they were renting was foreclosed on.
Today, the Air Force reservist and her family have beds, new clothes and dressers in which to keep them -- thanks to Reporter readers who contributed more than $14,000 in donations and gifts to the 2011 Mary Lou Wilson Memorial Giving Tree.
The Quewons aren't the only Giving Tree family to benefit from readers' contributions. The needs of each of the seven individuals and families profiled in The Reporter a month ago were met.
Eight families on the Giving Tree backup list also were taken care of, including a Dixon mom whose 5-year-old child's abscessed tooth required emergency extraction -- an expense she could not afford. Many of the other families' needs were met by employees from the Valero Refinery in Benicia.
After all of the bills are paid on behalf of the families and individuals, The Giving Tree also should be able to fulfill at least some monetary requests made by financially strapped social service agencies.
As those who deliver gifts and services know, recipients are grateful for the help. That gratitude was expressed by one woman whose Section 8 housing deposit is being covered by The Giving Tree, enabling her to have a home in which she can be reunited with her three children, who are now in foster care.
"Thank you for making me and my kids' dreams come true," she wrote. "It is a blessing to my family. Words can't express the joy you have brought to us this Christmas."
Her sentiments have been echoed by the Giving Tree families profiled last month. Here is an update on how they are faring:
Soon after the Quewon family's situation came to light, The Giving Tree began receiving calls from residents who wanted to help. Several offered furniture, including dressers and couches, and were put in touch with the family to make delivery arrangements. A Travis Air Force Base family who wishes to remain anonymous "adopted" the Quewons, providing not only needed clothing and bedding, but also a gift from each child's "wish" list. The Giving Tree purchased beds and arranged delivery of the gifts.
Quewon said her church also gave the family a Christmas tree and some presents as part of its "Go Without, So Others Don't" ministry.
"We have been tremendously blessed," a grateful Quewon said in an e-mail. This is the "first Christmas ever that I have not bought a gift for my kids, but God had us covered. We are very fortunate. I am so astonished by this. It's unbelievable."
A broken water pipe thwarted the goal of getting Kory and Michelle Breiten out of the Opportunity House homeless shelter by Christmas and into their own Vacaville residence, where they could be reunited with their two sons. The repairs are being made and, when they are complete, the family can move in. When they do, they can use the new bedding and towels provided by The Giving Tree.
In the meantime, both parents have found work and are still staying at the shelter. They plan to spend Christmas Day with Kory's sister, who has custody of the boys.
Nikita Range, whose medical issues have kept her out of work for more than a year, didn't ask The Giving Tree for much: Beds and bedding for her 17-year-old son and 15-month-old grandson, of whom she has custody; clothes and jackets for the family; a vacuum cleaner and some groceries. Her wish list was fulfilled.
Anthony Poulos, 62, has been unable to work since 1994 because he suffers from a number of painful disabilities, including spinal steonsis and osteo arthritis. He gets around his Fairfield apartment with the help of a motorized wheelchair and uses crutches when he goes out, which isn't often. Because he is mostly homebound and living on a modest income, the Prevention and Early Access for Seniors Program requested a year's subscription for Internet and television services -- his main connection with the outside world. The Giving Tree arranged for that.
With five children ages 8 months to 12 years, Cobi and Vincent Rush would have their hands full. But Vincent has become disabled, diagnosed with schizophrenia, and Cobi, an Air Force veteran, has been out of work since giving birth to her youngest child. The family is struggling to pay bills and will likely lose their home to foreclosure. Several families from the Epiphany Episcopal Church Friday Night Dinner program stepped up to provide the Rushes with bedding, winter clothes and Christmas gifts. Another Vacaville family donated a bunk bed frame. The Giving Tree paid some of the family's bills and bought mattresses for the bunk bed, as well as new tires and windshield wipers for their car. Family Auto Care is providing a free oil change and inspection.
Maria Wiley, a 67-year-old Suisun City resident with numerous health issues, was taking part in a 12-week cardiac pulmonary rehabilitation class and wanted to be able to continue the workout when the program ended. Soon after her story was published, two offers came in from residents who had recumbent stationary bicycles they were no longer using. Wiley's therapist chose the one most similar to the equipment Wiley was using in the class. In addition, The Giving Tree supplied her with some hand weights so she can continue her exercises
Veronica Melchor, 20, lives with her parents and teenage brother in a Vacaville mobile home. Everyone in the family works, but money is tight. When their heater went out last year, they family did without. But after her son was born in October, Melchor sought help with getting it and a recently broken clothes dryer fixed. The day her story appeared, Vaca Appliance and Fitchhorn Heating called The Giving Tree to say they would take care of the problems -- and they did.
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