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Friends of the Children's Justice Center Annual Christmas toy drive

* Bring unwrapped new toy, gift card or monetary donation

* Nov. 23 to Dec. 18 (toys and donations will also be accepted now)

* To start a toy drive, to find the nearest toy drive drop-off area and or to make a donation, call toy drive chair Rosalyn Caltrider, 280-3876 or Randy Echito, 986-8634

WAILUKU

The Friends of the Children's Justice Center hopes to receive "a few more" donations and gifts this year for its annual Christmas toy drive for abused and neglected children.

Executive Director Randy Echito expects more children will need gifts this year as his organization, which provides basic funding for 25 different agencies dealing with abused or neglected children, has seen requests for services and funding for programs go up 20 percent.

He said other agencies are turning to his group because they are losing their funding amid the bad economy and "because of the economy, more children are being abused, unfortunately."

"As far as donations, we're hoping to get a few more come in this year," he said.

Last year, the Friends of the Children's Justice Center gave out 1,500 gifts to children in Maui County.

Echito said the goal of the Christmas gifts program is to have the social workers, in the 25 agencies that the center assists, bond with the children.

He said the gifts are to let the children know that people care about them.

"Many of these kids don't get any other present during Christmastime," he said.

Some of the agencies that the Friends of the Children's Justice Center assists includes Women Helping Women and Ka Hale A Ke Ola Homeless Resource Center, along with the Children's Justice Center of Maui.

Friends board member Davelynn Tengan said some community members and businesses have already started toy drives to donate to the center.

"Who doesn't want to play Santa Claus?" she asked. "We're looking for toys for kids of all ages."

Tengan said they distribute toys for infants all the way up to teens in high school.

She said gift cards are also welcomed along with monetary donations.

The agency seeks new, unwrapped gifts.

More than 1,300 cases of child abuse and neglect are reported in Maui County each year, according to the Friends Web site. Although Echito said many cases go unreported, since abuse often occurs among family members and children are afraid and do not want to see a relative punished.

Also, one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually molested before the age of 18, the center reports.

The Friends of the Children's Justice Center's mission is to support the Children's Justice Center of Maui, to prevent child maltreatment and to provide assistance to the 25 agencies that deal with children who are abused or neglected.

Echito said his group provides funding for services that the other agencies cannot provide, such as more counseling and self-esteem boosters and therapy including horseback riding, along with funding for after-school and summer programs.

Friends of the Children's Justice Center, a private nonprofit group, is funded through private grants and a county grant along with donations and fundraisers.

* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.