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GoFundMe has become a go-to platform for people to raise money for various causes worldwide. It's raised billions of dollars for its users, making a significant impact on their lives.
The platform has been used to raise funds for medical expenses, with some campaigns reaching millions of dollars. For example, a campaign for a young girl's cancer treatment raised over $1 million.
GoFundMe's success can be attributed to its user-friendly interface and wide reach, allowing people to share their campaigns with a large audience. This has made it possible for people to raise money from all over the world.
GoFundMe's platform has helped people in need, and its impact is evident in the billions of dollars it has raised for various causes.
GoFundMe Success Stories
The platform has raised over $9 billion for various causes, with over 50 million donations made.
GoFundMe has helped individuals in need, such as a single mother who raised $100,000 to pay for her son's medical treatment after a devastating accident.
Some campaigns have even reached viral status, like the one for a homeless man named Bobby who raised $360,000 to help him get back on his feet.
GoFundMe has also been used to support families who have lost loved ones, such as the one for a family who raised $200,000 to cover funeral expenses after a tragic loss.
In some cases, GoFundMe campaigns have exceeded their initial fundraising goals, like the one for a family who raised $1.2 million to pay for a child's medical treatment.
The platform's success stories are a testament to the power of community and the kindness of strangers.
Crowdfunding and Nonprofit Platforms
GoFundMe has partnered with over 50 nonprofit organizations to help amplify fundraising efforts for specific causes.
Many of these partnerships allow donors to choose from a variety of campaigns and causes, making it easier for people to find and support the ones that matter most to them.
GoFundMe's platform has been used to raise millions of dollars for various nonprofit organizations, including those focused on education, healthcare, and disaster relief.
$30 Billion Raised on Crowdfunding and Nonprofit Platforms
Crowdfunding and nonprofit platforms have seen a significant surge in popularity, with $30 billion raised since 2010 on GoFundMe alone.
This staggering amount is a testament to the power of online fundraising and the growing trend of younger generations looking beyond traditional institutions to make their donations.
Shambre Boyd's tragic story is a poignant reminder of the impact crowdfunding can have on individuals and families in need.
GoFundMe's $30 billion milestone is a remarkable achievement that highlights the potential of crowdfunding to make a real difference in people's lives.
Kickstarter All or Nothing?
Kickstarter operates on an all-or-nothing system, where if you don't reach your funding goal within the timeline, you don't receive any of the funds pledged by backers.
This means that if your campaign fails to meet its goal, the money is returned to the backers, and there are no fees to pay.
Kickstarter has been in operation since 2009, allowing people to pool resources and ideas together to fund creative projects or initiatives.
If you don't reach your fundraising goal, you don't have to fulfill rewards, which is a significant advantage of using Kickstarter.
However, this system can be high-risk for projects that are not well-suited for crowdfunding or don't have a strong marketing strategy.
Tragic Events and Fundraising
In the face of tragedy, people often turn to GoFundMe to help those in need. A daughter created a GoFundMe page after her mother of 7 was killed in a shooting in northeast Miami-Dade.
Friends and families of the roughly 60 people hit by an SUV at a Christmas parade in Milwaukee also turned to GoFundMe, with some victims suffering life-threatening injuries. The phrase "glue me back together" was used to describe the online pleas for aid.
Donations poured in for families of Atlanta shooting victims, with one family raising over $115,000 on a single GoFundMe page. Randy Park, whose mother was killed, launched a GoFundMe page asking for $20,000 to pay for funeral expenses.
In some cases, GoFundMe pages are set up to help families recover from unexpected events, such as a house fire in Monongahela. The family lost everything in the fire, but thanks to the community's help, they were able to raise over $4,000 of their $10,000 goal.
A GoFundMe page was also set up for a student who drowned in a lake in Hollywood, Florida. His family wasn't financially prepared to cover his funeral costs, and the community rallied around them to help.
Worth a look: Gofundme Good Funeral Funeral Cost
More Than $2M Raised for Chicago Parade Shooting Orphan
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A GoFundMe account created to help a boy orphaned by the deadly parade shooting in Chicago on the Fourth of July has collected more than $2 million.
In just a short time, the community came together to raise an enormous amount of money for the family in need.
Seven siblings are asking for the communityβs help after their mother was killed in a shooting in northwest Miami-Dade Tuesday afternoon.
The boy's family, like many others, has been affected by a tragic event and is now receiving support from strangers.
A page for Yong Yueβs family drew more than $115,000 after their mother was killed in the Atlanta-area shootings.
Donations pour in for families of Atlanta shooting victims, showing the power of community support.
The family of a teenager who drowned in a lake in Hollywood, Florida, is also receiving help from GoFundMe, with friends and family setting up a page to cover funeral costs.
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Families in Colombia and Venezuela are also using GoFundMe to pay for medical expenses related to COVID-19 treatments.
In some cases, GoFundMe pages are set up to help families rebuild after a devastating event, like a house fire in Monongahela, Pennsylvania, where a family lost their home and belongings.
A GoFundMe page was established for a mother and her six children whose home was destroyed by a fire, with a goal of raising $10,000 to help them rebuild.
As of Monday afternoon, $4,010 of the goal had been raised, showing that even small efforts can add up.
Pa Faked Birth, Death
In Pennsylvania, a couple faked a birth and death for a baby to raise money on GoFundMe.
The couple raised a total of $550 from the GoFundMe.
Photographs of baby Easton were posted on the couple's Facebook pages, and the baby matched the "appearance of a newborn look-a-like baby doll", according to the complaint.
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Police say they were unable to find any record that baby Easton ever existed.
Police checked with the coroner's office in Somerset and Cambria County and neither had records of an Easton Lang.
CNN has also attempted to reach out to the people who gave the couple money and gifts.
Online Fundraising and Donations
GoFundMe allows individuals to create online fundraising campaigns for a variety of purposes, including medical expenses, education, and charitable causes.
You can set a fundraising goal and track donations in real-time, making it easy to see how close you are to reaching your target.
The platform charges a 2.9% payment processing fee and an additional 0.30% fee for donations made via credit card, which is deducted from the total amount raised.
GoFundMe also offers a feature that allows you to add a payment method, such as a credit card, to receive donations directly to your account.
Support for Monongahela House Fire Victims
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help a mother and her six children who lost their home in a Monongahela house fire.
The family was not at home when the fire occurred, fortunately, and a GoFundMe page has been established to help them get back on their feet.
The fire chief, Aaron Leezer, said the fire was significant, but firefighters were able to put a good stop on it.
The family's home is a total loss, and the funds raised will be spent to get them back into a home, refurnish it, replace clothing, and more.
As of Monday afternoon, $4,010 of a $10,000 goal had been raised.
You can donate to the page by going to www.gofundme.com/f/help-kristy-and-her-children-rebuild-after-devastating-fire.
The family has faced a number of struggles recently, and this devastating event has been particularly hard for them.
Their sister, Jessica Chester, set up the GoFundMe page on their behalf and is rallying the community to support them.
Curious to learn more? Check out: How to Set up a Gofundme for Medical Expenses
Online Pleas to Aid Parade Victims
Online pleas to aid parade victims have become a vital way to raise funds for those affected by tragic events. In the aftermath of the Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee, roughly 60 people were hit by an SUV, leaving many with life-threatening injuries.
Friends and families of the victims have turned to online platforms to collect donations. For example, a GoFundMe page was created to help a family affected by the Chicago parade shooting, which collected over $2 million in donations.
In another instance, a mother's life was tragically cut short in the Atlanta shootings, prompting her son to launch a GoFundMe page to raise $20,000 for funeral expenses. The page drew in over 70,000 contributors, with the family expressing gratitude for the outpouring of support.
These online pleas have shown that people are willing to come together to help those in need, even if it's just a small contribution. A single donation can make a significant difference in someone's life, as seen in the case of a page for Yong Yue's family, which drew in over $115,000 in donations.
International and Local Fundraising
GoFundMe is a global platform, with campaigns launched in over 130 countries. People from all walks of life are using the platform to raise funds for various causes.
In the United States, GoFundMe is the leading online fundraising platform, with over 50 million donors. The platform has helped raise billions of dollars for individuals and families in need.
GoFundMe's international reach is made possible by its localized websites, which allow users to create and share campaigns in their native language. This has helped the platform connect with a broader audience.
GoFundMe has a strong presence in Canada, with over 10 million donors and billions of dollars raised. The platform has also been used extensively in the UK, Australia, and other countries.
In local communities, GoFundMe campaigns are often launched to support neighbors and friends in need. These campaigns can be created and shared quickly, allowing for fast and efficient fundraising.
Crowdfunding and Politics
Donald Trump's campaign used GoFundMe to crowdfund millions online for emergency relief in an untraditional approach.
This approach was used to rally the campaign's donor network around the survivors of his July assassination attempt and Hurricane Helene's destruction.
Crowdfunding can be a powerful tool for politicians to connect with their supporters and raise funds for various causes.
The Trump campaign's use of GoFundMe highlights the growing trend of crowdfunding in politics.
Crowdfunding and Fees
Kickstarter's all-or-nothing system means you don't receive any funds if you don't reach your goal within the timeline.
GoFundMe, on the other hand, allows you to keep whatever money you raise, but fees remain the same whether you raise the full amount or not.
If your Kickstarter campaign doesn't succeed, the money is returned to backers with no fees, but you still have to deal with the emotional impact of not meeting your goal.
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Kickstarter vs Fees
Kickstarter charges a 5% fee of the total funds raised, plus a 3-5% payment processing fee from each pledge.
Kickstarter's fees are fairly reasonable, especially considering they don't charge a fee if your campaign is unsuccessful.
Kickstarter's fees are a bit more complex than GoFundMe's, but they're still a great option for creative projects.
Kickstarter's fees are only charged on successful campaigns, which means you won't pay a fee if you don't meet your funding goal.
Kickstarter Pros and Cons
Kickstarter is a popular crowdfunding platform, but it's not without its pros and cons.
Kickstarter's all-or-nothing funding model means that if your project doesn't meet its funding goal, you don't get to keep any of the money raised. This can be a high-risk, high-reward situation for creators.
One of the biggest advantages of Kickstarter is its large and active community of backers, which can help get the word out about your project and attract new supporters. The platform has funded over 200,000 projects since its inception, with a total of over $5 billion pledged.
However, Kickstarter's fees can eat into your profits, with the platform taking a 5% fee on the total amount raised, plus a payment processing fee of 3-5%. This can add up quickly, especially for smaller projects.
Kickstarter's fees can be a significant con for creators, but the platform also offers a lot of benefits, including a large and engaged community, a user-friendly interface, and a wide range of tools and resources to help you promote your project.
Sources
- https://www.observer-reporter.com/news/local-news/2024/dec/31/gofundme-established-for-monongahela-house-fire-victims/
- https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2024/12/30/marching-band-gofundme-trump-inauguration/
- https://www.local10.com/topic/GoFundMe/
- https://www.doublejump.media/kickstarter-vs-gofundme-which-platform-is-best-for-you/
- https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/29/24085175/gofundme-gaza-palestine-fundraiser-under-review-esims
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