The juxtaposition of those two parts of the letters suggests to me that she may feel that the gifts are "charity" and that she doesn't need that charity (or really could use it but it's humiliating to admit that so she asserts otherwise).

Mostly I think any of the first list could be true--if I knew the person I might have more of a clue.

In the second case it really might just be a reassurance that she's okay and is taking care of her self--maybe a bit of pride there, but I don't sense any annoyance (unless she's had a tendency to whine about this before.)