A lot of people donate their miles. The Rotary only pays for hospitalization, the operation and medication. That's why my organization has to raise money for the other things.

Once I did interviews with her family and got all of the medical information that I needed, I started to write letters to the Suffolk County Rotary. Luckily, within a few months, they picked her.

She has been staying with me since April 4. It's been working out good. It's better for them because I can speak the language and cook rice, which is their main food, and I cook Filipino food every night.

I finally went home to my country three years ago. There is so much poverty there and so many kids need help. We are poor, but not really. We're just very lucky to have work here and be able to send help over to them.

It's for the kids. It's like you are giving a new life to a child.