It never hurts to lend a helping hand to those who need it. And in the case of Catarino Arreguín, there are plenty of reasons to help him.

This 43-year-old farmhand, who works in the fields of Homestead, emigrated from his native Querétaro, in central Mexico, to the United States 27 years ago in search of a better future.

He met a woman who would give birth to their daughters, Brenda, 8, and Abigail, 7. But after eight years of harmonious coexistence, the couple had a series of problems that Arreguín said forced him to take custody of the little ones when their mother decided to live with her children from a previous relationship.

He considers the girls his reason for living.

This year, Arreguín was left alone to care for and take full responsibility for all the girls’ needs. Arreguín, who works full-time, is finding it a complicated task — especially if one takes into account that Brenda is autistic.

“If you asked me what has been the biggest obstacle that I have had to face in my life as a single father, I would say that it is my lack of experience in taking care of the girls, especially when one of them is autistic,” he told el Nuevo Herald. He said the girls’ mother only visits them “once in a while,” and that in case of an emergency, he can count only on his sister for help.

“I have grown as a man since I take care of my girls. I am no longer afraid of anything. Children are like books — every day you learn something new from them.”

Arreguín is not one to sit idly and do nothing.

When the girls’ mother left them, he realized that he urgently needed to find help dealing with Brenda’s autism. Plus, he said, his girls needed things to make life more bearable. Since he earns only $8 an hour, which has to cover the cost of food and rent, he concluded that only a charity could help him get clothes, shoes, a microwave oven, a tablet, a TV, and a bicycle to take his daughters to the park.

“Catarino must be helped because he is a father who has dedicated the necessary time to caring for his daughters. It must be taken into account that in the case of Brenda, greater attention is required because she is an autistic girl. For him, his daughter is not ‘a diagnosis,’ but a blessing. He doesn’t believe in obstacles,” said Yaimara Molina, representing The ARC Academy, a nonprofit organization located in Florida City that assists children with special needs. The agency nominated Arreguín’s family for help by Wish Book.

The ARC Academy serves around 600 children annually through multiple programs. Among them, the After School B-2 stands out, aimed at the early detection of autism, language difficulties and other diagnoses.

Molina pointed out that many people think caring for children is the concern only of their mother. However, Arreguín has not given up in his fight to provide for his daughters’ well-being.

“What impresses me the most about this man is his humility and his desire to get ahead. That’s why I think he’s an excellent candidate for Wish Book,” she said.

“I can’t deny that I am a happy man,” Arreguín said. “But because of my very meager salary, I can’t buy some things that would make life more pleasant for my daughters. I wish someone could help us.”

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