topic Re: Go Fund Me Requests!! in Community Chat

Go Fund Me Requests!!

Mmsfoxxie — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:47:24 GMT

Let me start off with an expression a former coworker used to say: I help the needy, not the greedy.

Lately, so many people are starting GoFundMe pages, especially on Face Book. In the last 3 months, four people have put them up for various 'needs'.

Last week there were two. One I feel bad that I did not give to.....a former student who attended the school where I worked was running, had an asthma attack and died. I hadn't seen her in three years but the family was requesting donations to attain $10,000. The mom got $3500. The child was only sixteen and most don't think death will happen that soon.

The other from last week was by a spoiled former coworker of mine. She was one of the pets of the principal because her mother and the principal were friends, which is how she got the job. She would go out most days, buying lunch and stay as long as she wanted. On Face Book, she puts pictures of everywhere she goes which is usually shopping and restaurants. Oh, sporting events for the kids. Takes pictures of her food. Every time her kids go to the emergency room, which is often, she takes pics of that, too, for FB.

This former coworker has three kids and is a very doting mother. One of the boys is in little league and this weekend past, she, her sister and all of the kids went on a trip so her son could play. This is a nice thing to do but don't ask me to pay for it. By the way, in most of the pictures, there is her Louis Vitt.....handbag (can't spell it) sitting next to her. I don't know if it's real but even the fakes are pricey, I think. If real, it's at least $2000. She was requesting donations to equal $5000. She got around $1500.

In my opinion, you should plan for this, not beg other people to pay for your pleasure. If you don't have the money, you don't go. I would never give money to someone that is frivolous with their money yet begs for mine.

How do you all feel about GoFundMe requests?

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

KimmC — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:35:05 GMT

I so agree with you...I have been on the GOFund me site and some of the requests are appalling. BTW...the reason I was on the site is to check out a co worker's requests...another example of being "greedy". An example..a mom couldn't pay rent one month and had pics of her kids so people would feel sorry for her. And who knows what some of these people do with the $$$?? I simply don't get it. What happened to pride? Obviously, some are legit..but many are just money grabs.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

Noel7 — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:35:12 GMT

It depends on who is asking and why. Many are in legitimate need.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

Mmsfoxxie — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:52:20 GMT

@KimmC wrote:
I so agree with you...I have been on the GOFund me site and some of the requests are appalling. BTW...the reason I was on the site is to check out a co worker's requests...another example of being "greedy". An example..a mom couldn't pay rent one month and had pics of her kids so people would feel sorry for her. And who knows what some of these people do with the $$$?? I simply don't get it. What happened to pride? Obviously, some are legit..but many are just money grabs.

Yes, @KimmC and @Noel7. Some are legit. Such as the sudden family death. But $5000 for a trip with your kids? They drove so I can't see needing $5000. But that's just me, lol.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

millieshops — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:56:43 GMT

My issue with this site isn't that the people are greedy - it's that unless they are someone you know there's no way to tell whether their cause is honest and legit. I give to those I know personally who are in need or through agencies that have a shot at screening requests, not anonymous websites.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

KimmC — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:57:12 GMT

If you get a chance go on the Go Fund me site to check out some of the requests. A real eye opener!

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

Kachina624 — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 23:58:02 GMT

I call go fund me requests "cyber-begging". This is not how I donate to charity. It encourages financial irresponsibility. Everyone should have a cushion of funds for emergencies or at least a source for a legitimate loan. If a funeral is involved, the biggest and fanciest is not necessary.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

Juniebugz — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 00:29:05 GMT

Sure there are some legitimate requests.

Overall though imo people who would never consider panhandling on the sidewalk are doing the same thing on the internet.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

Mmsfoxxie — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 12:06:38 GMT

I agree, @Kachina624. Funerals cost a lot but you can be frugal if you're broke. My mother's insurance policy was for $5000 five years ago when she died. I purposely made it for a low premium so that there would be nothing left over to fight over. We chipped in about a thousand more and that was it.

It might sound heartless but if you have no money, do a cremation.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

Jessa9 — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 00:06:36 GMT

A few of my friends were just talking about the go fund me pages. I also think is is cyber begging. I know some of them are really in need but others are just plain greed. My friends grandchildren come to visit the whole summer and he was saying how expensive it was for him to take them places and feed them. I jokingly told him he should start a go fund me page because some of them were really ridiculous. I agree with you Foxxie. People have no shame nowdays.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

chickenbutt — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 00:11:14 GMT

I have to admit that I've never gone there. But from what I've heard/read I don't know how one would trust that any of these stories, unless they know the person, are at all true.

I have heard about some of them being uncovered as scams.

To be honest, I don't think I will even go to the site. Like probably many others here, I've had times when I had it really rough. I've never asked anybody for anything. But I also recognize that I've never had it as rough as some people have, AND I never had kids to feed.

Being a pretty non-trusting person, I guess I see it as mostly scamming. That's too bad for the legitimate people I guess.

I'm always reminded of the guys walking around with the little business card-sized cards that said they were deaf and mute, asking for money. One time I thought I didn't have anything and said 'sorry'. After they had turned around and walked off I remembered that I had a 5 spot in my wallet. On just pure reflex I said 'oh wait, I have...'...well, just as they turned around I realized that the person was not deaf at all (it was about 15 feet away and I was not yelling) and simultaneously the one person realized what he had done and took off.

That's just one example, but it's easy for a lot of peoples' brains to just become less and less trusting. I'm not a monster. I don't believe in bragging about good deeds, so I won't go into things I've done for others in my life, but I guess I'm just really cautious.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

Moonchilde — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 00:12:37 GMT

If I was presented with a Go Fund Me situation I'd assess whether I thought it was a worthy cause or not, and either give...or not; most likely not. I don't see such requests all that often unless it's something in the news. I had a friend who started a Go Fund Me page to help her pay for unexpected vet bills. This, I get - not everyone has pet insurance or an extra $5000. Still, she was not a close friend and I did not donate; for a close friend I would have.

The people who start Go Fund Me pages for what is in essence "Give me money so I can go do this thing I don't have the money for" reasons are nothing more than panhandlers. I don't give to panhandlers - ever.

But I'm my final arbiter of what I'll contribute to, and why. I have contributed to Indiegogo and Kickstarter for inventions, where I will get something for my money.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

Chrystaltree2 — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 00:13:50 GMT

I've only visited once and only to contribute to a family I have known for 20 years and I personally know what they are struggling with.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

Mmsfoxxie — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 00:20:28 GMT

OMG!! I just went on the GoFundMe site and it is unbelievably. One lady was wanting money to buy an iPad as a birthday gift!!

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

RainyDayGal — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 00:16:11 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
I call go fund me requests "cyber-begging". This is not how I donate to charity. It encourages financial irresponsibility. Everyone should have a cushion of funds for emergencies or at least a source for a legitimate loan. If a funeral is involved, the biggest and fanciest is not necessary.

Not necessarily true. What if you are just starting out in life and have an emergency? How does one build up a cushion when they're just barely in to a new job? Or someone even loses a job and an emergency comes up? What do you consider a good size for that cushion to be?

Life happens. Expensives emergencies happen. You can't always be prepared.

I have no problem giving to the legitimate ones if it's something I feel strongly about.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

Noel7 — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 00:21:34 GMT

I am not on FB. My knowledge of Go Fund Me is from local news reports of tragedies where a GFM account has been established for a local family whose home has burned, or poor parents whose child has been killed and there is no money for a funeral. The news team verifies the bank handling donations.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

MyGirlsMom — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 00:23:07 GMT

There's good and bad in everything. For every new invention or program, there are people who will try and defraud or use the "system" for nefarious purposes.

Life has a way of handing us curve balls and everyone doesn't have the means to handle them.

If the need is there, the claim is legitimate and I have the means to contribute, I will do so.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

Noel7 — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 00:26:01 GMT

I think it's a great idea that people who want to help a certain cause are often able to, be it GFM or another legitimate group.

We have had schools broken into and computers stolen, others with their sports equipment stolen. There are always locals who pitch in and help.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

jaxs mom — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 00:29:02 GMT

Go Fund Me doesn't bother me in the least. People can do what they want. I don't spend my time worrying about if other people "deserve" a Go Fund Me account. Give if you want to, or not.

Re: Go Fund Me Requests!!

Mmsfoxxie — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 00:29:19 GMT

When I was working (school), there was always a kid or two that you bought things for and that was fine. As a matter of fact, if I weren't retired now, I'd be at Walmart or Walgreens right now buying school supplies for my students for September. School uniforms, etc.

But if you have the very LV handbag that I want and can't afford... No, just No. Some people have a lot of nerve.