Support the 2025 Caregiving Fund For an Elderly Grandmother

WHAT

This fundraiser is for the purpose of providing support for the caregiving expenses of Olivia Wells for the remainder of 2025.

WHY

As Mom grows older and weaker, she requires more assistance in her day-to-day routine. Simple tasks are more challenging and sometimes impossible for her to perform on her own. Several of the children she has raised have pooled our resources and time as best we can to assist her but more help is needed. This is where her extended family and other loved ones come in.

HOW

We want to have a part-time caregiver to come in for about 3 days a week to provide care, companionship, and some relief for the family's efforts.

And the average cost is about $200 per day which means it will take a village including hopefully your help to realize our goal.

HER STORY

At 96 years old, my mother, Olivia Wells, embodies a life marked by resilience, dedication, and compassion. Growing up in rural Mississippi, she and my father overcame poverty and adversity, ultimately raising eight children with grace and determination. Olivia's unwavering commitment to family and community has defined her existence. Throughout her life, she has remained steadfast in her focus on family and community, always prioritizing the well-being of others above her own. She worked tirelessly in various roles both personally and professionally, including 30 years of service at the Veterans Administration Hospital, providing care and support to those in need.

Now, in her later years, Olivia's wish is simple: to remain at home, surrounded by loved ones. However, the rising costs of in-home care pose a challenge. Her retirement benefits cover basic needs, but not the essential assistance required for daily living and the much-needed in-home care and assistance. Our family has pooled resources and time to attempt to provide the best care possible, but it's proven to be physically and financially unsustainable on our own.

Olivia's legacy of caregiving extends well beyond her own family. From the age of nine, she cared for her five younger siblings while her mother worked, setting the stage for a lifetime of selflessness. After the tragic murder of Emmett Till, she and my father were determined to escape the poverty and degradation of their upbringing and create a better life in the North. They purposefully lifted their family out of hardship while also supporting other relatives by sending money and resources back home and by welcoming some into their new home to allow them to prosper and flourish as well. Over the years, she extended this nurturing spirit to countless nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and even strangers in her community.

She has always been a woman of pride, honor, and respect. She navigated the raising of 8 children off of a meager salary but always held her head high with dignity. Even through her own adversity, she has always had a soft spot in her heart for children whether they were her own or someone else's. Olivia's generosity has never wavered. She has always been there for others, willing to provide shelter, clothing, transportation, meals, or just a safe space for anyone in need of a helping hand.

As her family, we are now turning to friends and loved ones to help sustain Olivia's wish to age gracefully at home. We seek support to cover the costs of essential care and assistance, allowing Olivia to receive the comfort and dignity she so richly deserves. Olivia Wells has spent her life caring for others; it is time we reciprocate that care and ensure she receives the support she needs in her golden years.

This is where her loved ones come in. You can donate here or if you prefer to contribute in a way other than monetarily, there are many other things that would be helpful to her and her caregivers. Please leave a message expressing your desire to help and someone will reach out to you for more details.

If you would like to contribute to our other goal of retrofitting her living space to make it more accessible and livable so that she can comfortably age in place, please contact the organizer or a family member personally. Thank you.