What to be good to/help ,financially deprived friends

[C33]

I have moved to a new city and am confronted to the stark reality of friends being in "dire straits".

Because I have a bit of money ahead of me, I must appear to them as a very lucky girl ( even though this is inheritance money, coming from hard working parents who never spent a penny carelessly).

These people are really good persons, they held on to my stuff for over a year, they invite me over for dinner, they have always been very helpful to me, caring. They share with the world.They are a separated with 2 lovely kids that are just little jewels( loving, warm, well behaved and fun to be with).

The mother is a wonderful woman, who works very hard to keep food on the table and is the one to keep things together. The dad is bipolar and is doing his best to provide for his family, within the limitations of his disease.

Whenever I am at their home I feel suffocated, because I do feel the incredible pressure ( and the pain)that is placed upon the mother, to take care of her family.

She does not complain about her situation, is very positive in words, yet she deserves much much better than what she has now. She didn t know about her husband s condition when they married, therefore didn t choose her present situation. She does the best she can, and is working as much as she can, yet their situation is very precarious.

How can I help them? I have already volunteered to babysit and help with some house chores, but my friend said she had a hard time asking for help. She NEEDS help, and I can see this. She is spread thin and it pains me to see a good person like her struggling so much.

I can t really suggest any reading because she does not have time to read and anything beyond survival is an indulgence to her. I have a nice furnished rental apartment in the city, internet access and can feed myself well, these are temporary privileges, I am not wealthy, yet it has become painful to be around this family because I feel bad about my lifestyle, that seems to serve only to underline the lack in their lives.

I can't talk about my new place or anything abundant in my life,because it feels so cruel to do so in comparison to their situation.I do not want to appear spoiled and indifferent, yet, I feel I deserve the good things in my life.

What is the best way to help my friends?