Until a few months ago, Jae-Lyn Kamake'eaina, 33, was a homeless woman living at an emergency shelter with her 4-year-old son, Kaimi-La'akea, who suffers from chronic asthma.

Kamake'eaina's fortunes improved when she was hired by the shelter, and she and her child were able to move into a small apartment at the Kuhio Park Terrace low-income housing project.

However, over the summer months, Kaimi-La'akea, who requires treatments on a nebulizer machine every four hours to assist his breathing, took a turn for the worse. The boy's doctor recommended that Kamake'eaina install an air conditioner in the apartment for the boy's health, but his mother was unable to come up with the money.

Then, Kamake'eaina was laid off for spending too much time at home caring for her sick child.

"It's been very hard," she said. "I'm barely able to make ends meet."

For now she's living on her unemployment compensation. She is also trying hard to find work, but so far in the current troubled economy, she has had no luck. She prays that will change before her unemployment runs out.

Meanwhile, she continues to work at the shelter as a volunteer whenever she can.

"I'm working for love right now," she said.

"This mom has had many things to deal with while raising and providing for her son," said Susan Lau, Kamake'eaina's case worker with Catholic Charities Hawaii. "She would appreciate anything to help make them have a nice Christmas in their new home."

Although Kamake'eaina is happy with her apartment, she says when her son falls on the hard tile floor, he is easily injured. For Christmas, she would like an area rug to cushion her son's occasional falls.

"I would be grateful for any help anyone can give us this Christmas," she said.

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