WAI'ANAE — About 50 moms living at the Pai'olu Kaiaulu homeless shelter got an early Mother's Day yesterday when scouts from the nearby Girl Scout Brownie Troop 2031 delivered personally packaged gift baskets filled with toothpaste, diapers and other necessities.

Among those benefitting from the basket distribution, co-sponsored by Leeward Coast nonprofit Women In Need, was Kristina Kalani, 18, a Nanakuli native. Kalani moved into the shelter with her daughter Tiare, who turns 2 in September, when it opened at the beginning of March.

"It's very helpful," she said, adding that she's glad she left the beach and went to the shelter. "I can save money in here ... and I'm trying to find a job."

Donnamae Aho, a 44-year-old mother of three and grandmother of 14, led other residents in a tentative yet poignant rendition of "Pearly Shells" that had both the mothers and scouts singing and doing the hula hand movements. "I wanted to give back to the kids," Aho said.

About 170 residents currently live in the state-sponsored facility, which represents 75 households and 55 children ranging from two months to age 17, said site director Cathie Alana.

Built to house about 300, the facility's population has been "trickling in," said Alana, known to many of the residents as "Aunty Cathie."

The facility, which is being managed by U.S. VETS Hawaii, saw about 65 people from nearly two dozen families take refuge when it first opened on March 1. When Ma'ili Beach Park, once considered the largest encampment of the homeless along the Wai'anae Coast, was closed to overnight stays, the shelter's count rose to an estimated 132 people, including 54 households with 40 children.

About 91 percent of the smallest rooms — primarily for individuals and couples — are occupied, compared to about 75 percent of the medium and only 47 percent of the large rooms.

"We'd like to be at full capacity; we're thinking we'll be at full capacity by June," Alana said, noting that the facility aims to reach 100 percent occupancy sometime this summer when the city closes more of the Wai'anae Coast beach parks to the homeless as city officials have said they would.

The biggest gripe raised by residents, and potential residents, are the rules, Alana said. Substance abuse and violence are not tolerated and there is a curfew.

Kalani, the teen mother, said her personal apprehension about the rules has faded. "The rules may be strict but they help," Kalani said. "At first I was thinking they're treating us like we're little kids again. But they're there to help us and keep us from the bad things."

Mae Meacham, another mother at the shelter, was among the last to leave Ma'ili at the end of March. Meacham, 50, said she was also happy to have moved there. "It's helping me get motivated and get myself together — and get off the drugs," she said.

The gift baskets delivered yesterday were packed by Girl Scouts around the island, said Merri Ford, the local Girl Scouts membership development manager. About 550 girls from 60 troops took part.

"No two baskets are alike," she said.

As unique as the lives and circumstances of the women staying at the shelter.

What's needed are more space for programs and volunteers to staff them, Alana said.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.