Gofundme.com is a California-based crowdfunding platform that allows people to raise money for life events such as helping a student pay for college or raising money to help a struggling family pay their medical bills.
Users of Gofundme.com can create their charity by going on the site to create their fundraising campaign and then sharing it on social media networks and accepting donations.
However, on a charity website that is so easy to set up, there have been cases of people using Gofundme.com and other sites like it for their own personal gain.
Brobible.com had acknowledged a fellow named Jordan, who decided to start a Gofundme campaign, so he would not have to work. Stating that work was getting in the way of his hobbies, he openly said that the money raised would be used to buy jet skis and pay his rent, even after admitting his job paid reasonably.
Other controversial Gofundme campaigns people raised money just for a squirrel tattoo and for a fun weekend in Las Vegas.
For all the good Gofundme can do, the website has had its fair share of controversial campaigns. After the shooting of 18-year-old Mike Brown by Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, MO, a Gofundme.com account was created to support the officer during the ongoing investigation.
The campaign was halted and pulled after it was revealed that many of the supporting comments left on the page were deemed inappropriate and racist.
In a more recent case involving Gofundme.com where they refused to back a campaign that would raise money for South Carolina officer Michael Slager.
Slager was involved in the shooting of Walter Scott, which was caught on camera. Gofundme.com simply stated that backing the campaign would be a violation of their terms and agreement.
Can Gofundme.com be considered a good or bad charity website? The site has raised over 9 million dollars for campaigns like “Saving Eliza,” a campaign created to stop Sanfilippo Syndrome, a terminal, degenerative disease in children. This campaign has almost raised $2 million.
People who use Gofundme.com can make the decision for the themselves.
For more information, visit Gofundme.com.
Jimaur Calhoun
Reporter