Don't give them cash upfront. That could be the worst option ever. Instead, what would help them is put the money into a mutual fund and teach them how to handle such investments. Financial management is very important and it'll help them change their lifestyle a lot. I learnt this from my dad as he comes from a very poor background and he's built his way up. He says that managing your expense is very important. Other than that, emotional support is very important I think because the family is under a lot of pressure obviously and with money they obviously need some emotional support. Even a little bit of caring goes a long way. hope this helps and let me know if I can help in anyway. :)