I want to tell you the story of a woman I’ll call Maria. For over 15 years Maria has worked for me and a number of my friends. She’s been a nanny, cleaned our homes, helped with special projects around the house and now tends to some of our aging parents. We give her as much work as we can but even with this she still lives at the poverty level.

 Maria came to Los Angeles from Guatemala so that she could earn enough to send money back to her family. Maria’s sister eventually joined her here in the U.S. and together they continued sending money to their parents until both parents died. One day about ten years ago Maria woke up and her husband had disappeared, taking with him the car she used to get to and from work and leaving her with a one year old baby and teenager.

Despite all of this, she kept working — working hard. Then last year her only surviving relative, her beloved sister who she helped raise from childhood and who was more like a daughter to her, was diagnosed with cancer. We all hoped for the best, but poor people in the this country don’t always get the best medical care.

 Today they are removing Maria’s sister from life support. The cancer has spread throughout her body and there is nothing more that can be done. It’s just a matter of days until Maria’s last family connection in this country will be gone.

My friends and I are providing emotional and financial support because we love Maria and believe women should help other women – there is no way she could pay for a funeral otherwise and not everyone wants to pay her for the days of work she missed caring for her sister. The Board of the Bloom Again Foundation voted to award her a grant of $1,000 to supplement her lost wages.

 We all know a Maria. Someone who makes our lives easier but who doesn’t have it so easy themselves. It’s why Carol, some other good friends, and I started www.bloomagain.org. Right now Maria is having difficulty making it through from day-to-day but one day she will “bloom again” — with help from people who want to make a difference for the poorest of the poor in our country. I’ve asked for your support before and I’m asking again. It most likely won’t be the last time I ask.

Thank you to those of you who went to the Bloom Again website and made donations through Paypal or who sent checks from a little to a lot. If you haven’t done so yet, we ask only that you visit the website, learn what we’re all about and decide if you can afford to help a woman in need. Your contribution is tax deductible and if you live in the U.S. you can refer women in transition or need to us for grants that will help them to bloom again. If your company has a matching gift program please let us know so that we can make your contribution grow even further.

And if you wouldn’t mind, we would appreciate it if you would this along to friends who might also want to make a difference in the lives of women who aren’t as fortunate as the rest of us.