San Diego Union 1979 - Holiday Project

01h1"$nrt lllir' r''l -r ltLi rr nE 2 6 $7 $ CHRISTTAAS T HILLCREST 'Homeless' Kids Monoge T o Smile By JANE WIIISMAN TEIN Stoff riler, he on ieso nion g I motnersand fathers were the only major things !missing rom yesterday's hristmas ay eelebr:iiion rl fi he county's illcrest Receiving ome. I For many hildren t the homc, eing way rom heir { abusive r batterin.g arents was a holiday n itself" i Santa laus, wh o rlrves s Fiillcrest's aker he est ct f i th e year; brightened he arn.y orning ith gifts, andi an d smiles or th e children wh o have been aken awai from their parents or a variety 0f reasons, mostly or' being bused r neglected. "Being here today s not the greatest hing, bu l yesterday ha d a pass o visit my grandma," ai d Guy 13 an d beginning is 47th ay at Hillcrest. "I have record f going AWOL 18 imes, ut atel,; i have hanged y attitude," aid Guy, he spokesman for a committee f older children hat he represents t Hillcrest. He said he staff s giving he kids a bigger ay in how hings re un an d if e s a ot better. Gny's committee lans parties and settles disputes over things ike dividing up the "good clothes." He tariir-:cl round new computer ame, a gift from his motlitr, wh o he would ot be seeing n Christmas. Walter Shjelds, junior social worter at Hillcrest at oli a c0unt()r, urrounded y his young riends, andy \fl&ppcrs nd ovs. "liurprisingly nough, lot of these kids say they would ather be here han at home ecause he y wouldn't ge t nearly he amount f gifts," said Shields. l-lillcrest upervisor oger ssex aid esterday as a good Christmas ecause most of the children were spending he day out of the home. About 20 went o parties t the homes f employees r volunteers. he remaining lder children were aken on an afternoon harbor ruise fter a speciai hristmas unch of ti;'lro.v. cranberry auce, otatoes nd peas. Two wceks vere Christmas hE number ad dropped o about 0. "The overridiirg .hing hese ,'hildren ant s a family an d a home," ard 'ai Pr:rry, i corrections nd services officer wh o rccently ;:anst'eried o l{illcrest rom th e Comnrunity ental lealth Clinic n Oceanside. "Parents f kids here ar e undr:r tress. hev end o be immature, ith a ow hreshold f pAtiencr-'," t:rry aid. Piles of torn wrapping aper an d rrbhons er:orated the loor of a big playroom. decorated .ree ,iominated on e corner. Children munchedandy while esling ew toys donated y several roups. Four ow-headed rothers nd sisters, anging n a ge from to 2, had arrtved t Hillcrest week before. he children ad been t the home everal imes before. Most recently hey ha d been iving ogehter n a foster ome but the eldest was creating discipline qoblems nd group ha d been eturned o th e home us t before he holiday. Neighbors, partment anagers nd police reusual- iy the ones wh o nitiate he steps o bring he ,'hridren o Hilicrest. Ciriidren ho are underfcd, oorly lothed r visibly beaten re requently rought o th e home untii county ocial workers nd he coufis ca n dr:cide heir

San Diego Union 1979 - Holiday Project

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