Hello everyone, my name is Charlene Mead, and my mom died.

My mom, Mary Mead, was a wonderful woman who was very sick - she had COPD for many years and had limited mobility, and I was her full-time caretaker. She always said I did a great job, and she wouldn't have been here without me. (And she would say it to anyone. Unprompted. It was very sweet and very embarrassing every time.)

She took care of the bills, which were paid by her social security benefits. We weren't thriving, but we were doing okay! Unfortunately, since she was already so ill, the symptoms of something much more serious flew under our radar. Her passing was sudden, and unexpected. Without her the entire landscape of my life has changed, including financially.

I am actively looking for a job, though my options are limited as I don't have transportation, and my work history has been taking care of mom. I am doing my best. But I need help until I can land something and start bringing in a paycheck.

I'm asking for the number I am because there are a couple of outstanding bills, and because I'd like at least a little time to process the new world I find myself in, and to continue my job search. This amount would cover those debts and keep everything paid for two months, time that I'll be using to both find a way to support myself financially and find a way to move forward on my own, without the person who meant the world to me.