M.M. is a single mother of three children and works part time at a fast-food restaurant.

In January, the lease on her Waipahu apartment expired and the manager of the apartment complex would not renew the lease.

Thirty-eight-year-old M.M. said the manager didn't like it that her family members and friends would visit.

With no place to go and very little money, M.M. and her children were forced to live out of their car.

"We ended up staying in the park. I had some money, so sometimes we stayed at the hotel," she said. Her savings soon ran out and M.M. said she thought her situation was never going to get better.

But in March, M.M. was accepted into transitional housing, where her family of four rents a studio apartment.

M.M. is now looking for more work to supplement her part-time paycheck, but said it has been difficult because she must also care for her children.

The children's father does not live in the country and sometimes sends a little money to help with the children. But M.M. said she can't depend on the money arriving.

With Christmas near, M.M. said she is sad when she thinks about the things she cannot afford to buy for her children.

All three children need new clothes. Her 12-year-old daughter would like a bike for Christmas and her 11-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son would like board games or toys.

The family could use household items.

Christmas Fund donations are used for families who need help through the holidays. Any money remaining after the holidays will be used to help those in need throughout the year.

Our anonymous Santa will match $25 of each donation to the Christmas Fund.

RECENT DONATIONS

• Charles & Linda Callahan $500
• Karen Coady on behalf of the employees at Loomis, Fargo & Co. Hawaii $310
• Rodgers Family $300
• Devin & Danielle Eng $250
• Brian Hughes $250
• Ritchie Mudd for Mozes Mudd $250
• Ritchie Mudd for Maxx Mudd $250
• Julianne & Virginia Puzon in memory of Dorothy & Quirino Puzon $250
• John J. Coogan $150
• Lori, Ellen & Ed Kohara $150
• MPI Alumni Class of 1962, 1963 & 1959 $120
• DAGS Employee Fund $110
• 'Aiea Boy in Idaho Falls, Idaho $100
• Laurel & Charles Aki $100
• William & Milda Burkhalter $100
• Philip & Gerry Ching $100
• Eric & Minerva Conrad $100
• Arnold & Glenda Dahlberg $100
• Paul Funkhouser $100
• Marya Grambs & Janet Montgomery $100
• Ronald & Amy Kimura $100
• Victor & Pat Meyers $100
• Glenn & Kay Nishimura $100
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• Gloria & Eugene Perry $100
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• TAMC Hematology Laboratory $100
• Jeff & June Watanabe $100
• Grace & Stanley Wong $100
• Walter & Narcissus Yap $100
• Sato Hijirida $75
• Bob & Amy Cheung $50
• Raymond & Claribel Greiner $50
• Raina Haarz $50
• Ann Koay in memory of Jean Doi & Eddie Liekwei $50
• Esther & Livorio Loera $50
• Micah, Katie, Kimi Ann Ramos $50
• Rogelio & Carmelita Olegario $50
• Ross Evan & Kymbal Larson Roley $50
• Doris Shigeta in loving memory of Thomas M. Shigeta $50
• David & Violet Silva $50
• Pearl Tengan in memory of Harold & Jon Tengan $50
• William K.C. Wong $50
• William & Sara Barnes for Adopt A Family $35
• Curtis Kekoa Jr. in loving memory of Nenita Kekoa $30
• Michael Sato & Ann Shinno $30
• Mary & Jerome Bacon $25
• Jeffrey Black $25
• Boo, Spunky & Pokey $25
• Jocelyn Cheng in memory of Mary Albao Sabate $25
• B.J. Chung $25
• Betty & Bob Hendrickson in memory of Paul Schrader $25
• P. Kaneda $25
• Minoru & Kay Teruya $25
• Lawrence & Mary Thrower for Adopt A Family $25
• Barbara Briscoe $10
• Shirley Kawano in memory of Paul Schrader $10
• Ken & Hope Kudo in memory of Paul Schrader $10
• Anonymous $500
• Anonymous $200
• Anonymous $50
• Anonymous $50
• Anonymous $50
• Anonymous $40
• Anonymous $25
• Anonymous $25
• Anonymous $25
• Anonymous $25

Total: $6,696
Previous total: $103,526.40
Total to date: $110,222.40