Double stroller would help ohana get by

Jorge Yeban’s leg muscles are so atrophied from polio, he sometimes falls when walking.

While his girlfriend is at work, Yeban takes care of their 1-year-old daughter, Hailey, and takes her in a stroller when they catch the bus to do errands.

But he and his girlfriend, Kaimana Kepilino, are expecting another baby in April, and Yeban worries about how he will be able to transport both children at the same time.

For Christmas, the couple is hoping to get a double stroller through the Adopt-A-Family program of Helping Hands Hawaii, which provides financial assistance, clothing, household items and other goods for people in need during the holiday season. The family also needs a microwave oven and learning toys for Hailey.

The Star-Advertiser is once again collecting donations through its Good Neighbor Fund on behalf of the program, and readers may specify that their contributions go toward a particular family. Items that families request may be dropped off at HHH’s Community Clearinghouse.

Yeban’s family has been living since June at Weinberg Village in Waimanalo, a transitional shelter for homeless people who are working toward obtaining a place to live. They have lived on the streets on and off for about two years.

"Thank God we got this place," Kepilino said. "Now we don’t have to worry about where we’re going to sleep or what we’re going to do. It’s much warmer and safer for Hailey and for us — a relief. Living on the streets was hard and kind of irritating."

While homeless, the couple was able to sleep and shower at Kepilino’s or Yeban’s parents’ house, or move from week to week from different churches involved in the Family Promise program. It was hard to entertain Hailey while they were out on the streets, however, and Kepilino always pretended they were going out to a park or a beach instead of telling her they didn’t have a home, she said.

Yeban has had polio since he was 1.

"I learned how to walk when I was 8 years old," he recalls. "Both my legs are really, really skinny. I can walk, but sometimes it hurts. Most of the time I walk without a cane, but I can’t carry anything."

He needs to walk around to exercise his legs, but will need a double stroller to go out with Hailey and the new baby, Yeban added.

"I’m not able to work because standing up is hard," said Yeban, who had to quit his job as a drywall finisher and now receives a small disability pension. "If I step on a little something or the ground is uneven, I just fall. … I do want to work. Sometimes I really miss working."

Luckily, Yeban loves taking care of Hailey, and spends much of their time reading books and playing with toys.

"She has her own personality, very active. She’s a beautiful baby, with hair that’s curly on the bottom. She can say a few words. I don’t get tired of watching her — she makes my day," he said.

He’s not worried about the added responsibility of taking care of the new baby because Hailey behaves and listens well. Everything is within reach of the bed in the tiny studio apartment, he added. As long as they stay within its walls, he will be able to manage.

Kepilino said the couple has two years to live in the shelter, during which time they have to save to afford their own place, but "it’s hard to save because we’ll be having another child. We have to budget for bills."

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