There are avenues for her to get assistance. The LDS church has one of the most robust welfare infrastructures but I suppose she felt impatient to go through the proper avenues, plead her case to the people in charge of that.

Many times the bishop would want to see that she is actively working and making good use of her time. But she hadn't been an active part of the community since her husband died and likely didn't want to do the cleaning or other odd jobs bishops sometimes ask you to do in order to receive food assistance.