How do I get started on borrowing from my 401k for hardship

You need to be aware of the penalties and tax implications. You are usually penalized about 30-35% and then have to pay an inflated tax on the withdrawal. Unfortunately if that is you ronly recourse you may have to bite the bullet. Go to your HR department and request a hardship withdrawal form and fill it out. The process last time I helped one of my guys through it took about 4 weeks...