How the Herald’s Wish Book, in its 41st year, gave a family ‘the best Christmas ever’
On Nov. 25, a day after Thanksgiving, the Miami Herald published the story of 13-year-old José Andino Díaz and his family, who faced eviction while living packed into a sole bedroom they rented in a Miami house with other people.
On Dec. 9, two weeks after the article posted and a day before they would become homeless, an anonymous Herald reader volunteered to pay their rent in a new apartment of their own.
“We shed tears,” said Oscar Andino, José’s father, when asked Wednesday about the relocation. “It was wonderful; I don’t even know how to explain how we felt, just a lot of happiness. We have so much space now.”
The Andinos will be one of dozens of families affected by this year’s Wish Book, a nonprofit effort organized by the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald that has raised money to help the less fortunate in South Florida for 41 years.
To inspire giving, Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald journalists, as well as Florida International University student contributors, have told the stories of those in need, and they will continue to tell them.
So far, about 930 readers have shown sympathy for their neighbors. More can add their names to the list, as the program’s goal is to raise at least $150,000 more this season.
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‘The best Christmas we have ever had’
In the initial story, the Herald shared how José can’t walk because of his cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis, a chronic life-threatening lung disease. When the family immigrated from Nicaragua by foot and by bus about a year ago, his parents carried him to the U.S.-Mexico border and across it.
In South Florida, they stayed in the single bedroom, storing his diapers and liquid meals for his feeding tube there. The father slept on a small mattress on the tile floor; José, his mother and sister shared a larger bed crowded with nebulizers and medicine.
But when they learned they needed to move by Dec. 10, they despaired — until the Herald reader stepped in.
Reached Wednesday, the mother, Erika Díaz, said gratitude overcame her.
“I think it’s the best Christmas we have ever had,” she said. “I had been nervous for a week without eating. We had nowhere to take our son, but then we heard the news.”
Roberta DiPietro, Wish Book coordinator for Miami Herald Charities, said the anonymous donor will provide rent until José and his family can get back on their feet.
“It’s really amazing,” she said. “We count on our readers to come through every year to make these wishes come true, and they always do.”
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More need this year
DiPietro said she considers helping people like the Andinos a blessing, especially this year, as she has seen a higher need and feared donations would be lower because of the economic decline.
Wish Book received 192 family cases from local nonprofits this season — about 10 percent more than the average. The requests, portraying local issues like the housing crisis, have also risen.
“With the trying times and increasing everyday costs, housing assistance requests topped the list of needs,” DiPietro said. “Many of the families have asked for computers for their school children. This year we have a more-than-average request for medical equipment.”
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Those who celebrate Christmas will likely wake up Sunday morning and rush to the tree to tear open presents. Those who celebrate Hanukkah will likely enjoy potato latkes or jelly donuts after lighting all eight candles at sundown. And those who celebrate the holidays in general will likely visit family.
But because of the high inflation this year, not everyone will get to spend money on food, gifts or travel. Some will instead worry about clearing medical bills, paying rent or feeding their children.
One family, for instance, told DiPietro and her team they had 23 cents in the bank.
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“And 23 cents was not going to get even a candy bar for the kids to share,” DiPietro said.
Thanks to Wish Book aid, they bought not only presents, but also groceries.
Fundraising progress so far
The program accepts donations year-round because of some complex requests that take time, like van adaptations for handicapped access, DiPietro said, but it receives most of its income from November to January.
This year, Wish Book held a soft launch by participating on Give Miami Day, Nov. 17. That day alone, the program collected about $12,500. The campaign officially kicked off on Thanksgiving Day.
As of Tuesday, the program had raised $217,425. As of Dec. 12, 930 Herald readers had donated.
That generosity allowed DiPietro’s team to help Catarino Arreguín, a single dad who works two jobs as a farmhand in Homestead to raise his two daughters, one with autism. The Mexican immigrant called Brenda, 8, and Abigail, 7, “his reasons for living,” according to an el Nuevo Herald story published Dec. 9.
Wish Book donors provided a computer and tablets for the girls; now they can keep up with school and their friends.
DiPietro sets the yearly fundraising goals by examining past goals. In 2021, Wish Book raised $384,507. In 2020, an exceptional year because of the pandemic, the nonprofit gathered a whopping $496,260, followed by $322,788 in 2019 and $360,102 in 2018.
Even though Wish Book hasn’t reached this year’s $375,000 goal yet, the community’s reaction has already surprised DiPietro and her team.
“The response has been very uplifting,” she said. “We were expecting a slower year due to inflation and the economic situation. However, we are especially pleased with the number and generosity of the readers that have called in to help.”
FROM DEC. 9: He wishes he could buy things for his girls, but he’s a single dad who earns $8 an hour
How to help
To help this Wish Book nominee and the more than 100 other nominees who are in need this year:
▪ To donate, use the coupon found in the newspaper or pay securely online through www.MiamiHerald.com/wishbook
▪ For more information, call 305-376-2906 or emailWishbook@MiamiHerald.com
▪ The most requested items are often laptops and tablets for school, furniture, and accessible vans
▪ Read all Wish Book stories on www.MiamiHerald.com/wishbook
