Big Island Surf Soccer Club ‘Adopts’ Families

The Big Island Surf Soccer Club, with the help of Hope Services Hawai‘i in Hilo, adopted two homeless families for Christmas this year.

All 50 members of the club pitched in to provide parents and children alike with gifts.

The teams and their coaches delivered carefully selected and beautifully wrapped gifts, along with a decorated Christmas tree, to their adopted families, who are living in transitional housing provided by Hope Services.

“It was such an emotional time for all of us,” said club Administrator Misty Ambrosio. “A lot of the kids are classmates and they didn’t even know.”

“It’s probably one of the biggest gifts a parent could give to their child, is perspective on how their life differs from others,” said Hope Services volunteer and community partnership Coordinator Malu Debus. “We should all do our best to get involved.”

The club’s goal is to conduct at least one community service project every year.

“This is something that we want to do yearly,” Ambrosio said.

The club hopes to adopt more than two families next year.

The Big Island Surf Soccer Club, with the help of Hope Services Hawai‘i in Hilo, adopted two homeless families for Christmas this year. Courtesy photo.

The Big Island Surf Soccer Club, with the help of Hope Services Hawai‘i in Hilo, adopted two homeless families for Christmas this year. Courtesy photo.

The Big Island Surf Soccer Club, with the help of Hope Services Hawai‘i in Hilo, adopted two homeless families for Christmas this year. Courtesy photo.

The Big Island Surf Soccer Club, with the help of Hope Services Hawai‘i in Hilo, adopted two homeless families for Christmas this year. Courtesy photo.