Advertiser Christmas Fund
Family lives in shed, seeks clothing

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

"We have a commode," M.K. said. "We use a bucket with Clorox."

For M.K., 47, and her sons — ages 18 and 15 — the shack is better than the beach. "We were homeless for close to a year," said M.K., widowed in 1995 and surviving on her husband's monthly benefits of $760 and food stamps. Her sister also gets food stamps but does not qualify for welfare.

	How to make a donation
•	Checks made payable to The Advertiser Christmas Fund should be mailed to
	Helping Hands Hawai'i
	P.O. Box 19155
	Honolulu, HI 96817
•	Donations may also be dropped off at any First Hawaiian Bank branch.
•	Anyone wishing to donate goods instead of money can do so at the Community Clearinghouse at 2100 N. Nimitz Highway near Pu'uhale Street. For details, call 536-7234.

M.K., whose body is covered with insect bites, suffers from asthma. Her sister has heart problems. Neither woman is healthy enough to work.

M.K.'s eldest son started a new job as a carpet cleaner the day after Thanksgiving. He and his younger brother, who is a special-education student, take the bus.

"An elderly man they call Uncle Bobby has been paying for their bus pass for two months," M.K. said.

She would really like to have some new clothes for the boys.

"We don't have running water but we have enough to eat," said M.K., who sleeps on the one bed in the shack with her sister. The boys sleep on the floor.

"Whatever we need is for the boys."

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