My name is Roma, and I'm writing this for my neighbor Laura, who has been one of the most generous people in my life since my family arrived in the United States seven years ago.

Laura is in her 70s and lives alone in Santa Monica. She has spent her life quietly doing good — for neighbors, for strangers, for anyone who needed a hand. When my family first moved here, completely overwhelmed and trying to figure out how to get our daughter enrolled in middle school, Laura didn't just give us advice. She jumped in her car, drove a couple of blocks, and personally introduced us to other parents who could help. That's just who she is.

Today, she works part-time helping local families with their kids — because even in her 70s, she finds meaning in showing up for others.

A while back, Laura broke her hip. She recovered remarkably well, but the months away from work created a financial gap she's been quietly working through ever since. She's been managing — carefully, responsibly — but this month, a stranger sideswiped her car in a parking lot and drove off without leaving a note. The repair requires a $500 deductible she simply doesn't have. Without her car, she can't get to the families who depend on her. Without that income, she can't cover her health insurance premium next month.

She called me and told me she didn't have anyone else to turn to right now. She asked if I could help her with $2,000 — $500 toward her car deductible so she can keep working, and the rest to keep her health insurance from lapsing. I'm not able to cover that on my own, but I didn't want to just say no to someone who has never said no to anyone. So I set our goal at $2,500 — a little extra buffer so that one more small emergency doesn't put her right back in the same spot.

Laura's health insurance isn't a luxury. There's a real possibility she'll need hip surgery again in the future — and without continuous coverage, that becomes a financial catastrophe, not just a medical one. She has been doing everything right: paying her premium every month, keeping her coverage intact. She just hit a wall she didn't see coming.

Any amount helps. $10, $25, $50 — it all adds up. And if you can share this with even one person, that matters too.

Laura has always shown up for others. Now it's our turn to show up for her.

— Roma, Laura's neighbor of 7 years