My life has been very difficult since 2010 .
First my husband was caught cheating and even though I tried to work things out we ended up separating , which was extremely hard for me.

Then a year later one of our 3 kids was diagnosed with Leukemia , we were treated in my home town very difficult year stressful and exhausting too but the doctors managed to put her in remission... we were so happy.
But just last December 2012 she relapsed. Then In January 2013 my father whom I was very close to died of a sudden heart attack. Two DAYS later I am on a flight headed for a specialized pediatric hospital in the States in order to try and cure her there. Things happened to fast for me I didn't t have time to think.

Well the people I work with have been so nice and generous as to raise funds for me because I have taken a non paid leave of absence.I was so touched by their gesture.. they raised close to 3000 $ but the problem is that I also feel very embarrassed about accepting the money. I was raised to be self reliant and independent. I hate the thought that people see me as a charity case just because my life spinned out of control.

My question is what to do with this money ?
Do I return it ?
Do I give it to charity?
Do I just keep it ?
If I do keep it would I be viewed as a charity case in front of my co workers.

I don t really need the money to survive it does help in spoiling my daughter with little extras but it is not a necessity.

I would greatly appreciate any feedback.
Thank you.

Please accept the money and do with it as you wish. It is Not wrong to accept charity, and if anyone ever deserved it, you do!
You have some very, very nice and good friends to raise this money for you.
We give money from our church to those we think need it, or deserve it, when things don't go too well sometimes. That's what church and friends are for, to help when needed.
I am sure you would do the same for them, if you could. I wish you and your family the best, and good luck.

I would keep it for now, and set it aside. You say you don't need it but you don't know if you will or not, later. I would thank everyone and tell them that if you don't have to spend it, you won't, and it will go to leukemia research in their names.
Sometimes accepting a gift is as much a gift to the givers as it is to the recipient.

I tried to give a "greenie- (I guess that was what it would have been) for one of the above answers but got booted out.
Anyhow, the first two answers are very good and I especially like the second one because it explains to the donors what your plans are. You could even go a step further and offer the money back to anyone who objected, but that might be very difficult to figure out who gave what.
Most folks who make donations wish nothing other than that it is going toward a good cause and not into some charity executive's big salary.