My mother's well has gone dry! Urgent Need!

My Mother's Story in Her Own Words

Hi, my name is Linda, and we have been without running water for more than two weeks, and our situation will not improve until a new well is drilled. Our old well has run completely dry, and there is no choice but to dig a new one - an expense that we simply cannot afford on our own.

As a single mother over 70 years old, this is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do - ask for help. For well over 25 years, I was the primary provider and caretaker for my family, working hard to support those I love. Now, after an incredibly difficult year of loss and financial strain, I find myself in a position I never imagined - feeling totally dependent on the kindness of friends, family, and even strangers. It is humbling beyond words.

A Year of Loss and Challenges

2024 was a year of change and hardship for our family. After my 5+-year marriage ended unexpectedly, my daughter and I faced emotional and financial adjustments. She still lives at home, working part-time at Starbucks, and does everything she can to help. Since she does not drive, I take her to work, and her father helps bring her home some afternoons.

As it that weren't enough, in August of 2024, I was laid-off from my state job - a grant funded program that assisted hurricane survivors. We had been told the funding would last until 2026, so the sudden loss of work was devastating. At over 70 years old, finding new employment was nearly impossible, no matter how hard I tried.

Then came the winter. In December 2024, during the Christmas season, our heat system failed. We struggled through freezing temperatures using borrowed space heaters and the emergency heat setting - driving our electric bill over $750 the next month and almost as high the next two months. I had no choice but to take out an $8,000 loan for a new HVAC system, adding another financial burden.

Then when I completed my 2024 taxes, the final blow came - I owed more than I ever imagined, due to the loss of a dependent and not enough being withheld from my wages. It wiped out nearly all of my remaining savings.

Our Well Has Run Dry - And We Need Urgent Help

Then our well started failing - until one day, it just stopped. At first, I called a plumber, who installed a new pump. Then an electrician came, corrected the wiring. Still - no water. When the plumber returned, he confirmed the worst; it had run dry.

A licensed well contractor explained that, since the well is over 50 years old and only about 90 feet deep, my only option is to drill a new well. The average cost? $13,000, plus the additional plumbing and electrical costs we've already incurred - bringing our total to $14,000.

When the contractor's secretary told me that price, I fell silent, and she asked me if I was in shock. I told her the truth: I was in pain.

We Cannot Function Without Running Water

Right now, without purchasing and hauling water, we cannot:

Take showers, flush toilets, wash clothes, wash dishes, care for our pets, or do the simplest daily tasks, like brushing our teeth and washing our hands.

These are basic necessities, yet they feel like luxuries now. The ability to take a hot shower will never be taken for granted again.

How You Can Help

We have never been in this situation before, and we do not know what we will do without urgent assistance. Your donation -of any amount - will make a real impact in helping us restore clean, running water to our home.

If you cannot donate, sharing our story is just as valuable. Every share and donation brings us closer to hope and relief.

Thank you for reading, and blessings to you and your family.