You see it all the time on Facebook, Instagram and other forms of social media. People are always looking for a way to raise money for some cause or another, and it’s a great way to do it. It’s for the families of those taken too soon, those who are sick and in need of medical help and cannot afford it. It’s even for those who simply want to raise money to go on vacation and want to ask their friends to pay for it on Facebook (yes, I’ve seen that) and it’s for those who want to ask for money for whatever they want.
Some campaigns are more endearing than others, some are completely ridiculous and some are downright disgusting. However, there are always good people in the world willing to help those in need, and we have a few of the most successful campaigns ever in 2016, including the campaign for the victims of the horrible shooting at an Orland nightclub in June that raised more money than any campaign in the history of GoFundMe.
Orlando Shooting Victims – $3 million and growing
Since the tragic shooting that occurred at an Orlando nightclub by the name of Pulse very early on a Sunday morning in June, more than 69,000 people have stepped up to help with the victims and their families left to pick up the pieces. It’s been only three days at the time I’m writing this and there have been more than $3 million in donations offered. That’s more than any other campaign ever on the page, and it’s only growing every moment of the day.
Secret Service Agent Garret FitzGerald – $313,206
Garret FitzGerald has a job that not just anyone can do, and it is not a safe one that just anyone can do. He was on duty working as a Federal Agent when his car was hit head on by another. Surviving the crash with horrible injuries, he and his fiancée needed all the help they could to pay for the extensive medical bills that the accident incurred for them. They raised a substantial amount of money, though it won’t even begin to cover the cost of his recovery and medical bills, or the loss of his income.
Officer Allen Jacobs – $193,041
In Columbia, South Carolina there is a woman who is about to give birth to her first little girl in the coming month. She is now a widow. Her husband, Officer Allen Jacobs, was shot and killed by a suspect in a crime a few months ago. She was pregnant at the time with their first daughter, but their third child. She is now a single mother of two boys and soon to be a little girl.
Poppy’s Field – $84,079
When a father found out that his new baby girl is suffering from a terrible terminal cancer, he decided to do whatever it took to help. Poppy’s Field is a location in Europe that allows families with terminal children to stay and make memories while they still can, so he decided he wanted to be with this little girl there, and his fund raised a lot of money back in March.
Flint Water Crisis – $59,665
When the water crisis began in Flint, Michigan earlier this year, people decided that they needed to do something. A woman by the name of Marseille Allen decided to find a way to make sure residents were able to have safer drinking water, and she managed to raise more than she ever imagined possible with her GoFundMe Campaign earlier in 2016.
Akilah – $32,928
She’s a famous YouTube star. Unfortunately, she has been very ill in the past few months. Back in April, she was plagued with severe exhaustion, and a lot of pain. She was in and out of the doctor’s office before she was finally diagnosed with issues with her liver. Left needing treatment on her liver to help her live and to relieve the pain she is suffering, she has managed to raise a substantial amount of money to help her pay for the cost of her mounting medical bills.
Jason Pinardo’s Warm Meals – $23,200
When he was given the idea to host a pop-up dinner for people in Philadelphia without a home or a hot meal, he decided to raise a little money for it. This was right before spring came, and he was able to earn and raise far more than he ever imagined possible, making it possible for him to feed so many people who don’t have a warm meal or a home of their own.
Aiden’s Dog – $22,329
Aiden is only a little boy, and he desperately needs a diabetic alert dog. These dogs are so very expensive, but his health requires that he have one. These dogs are trained to help detect when something is happening in Aiden’s body that requires he receive attention right away, and it’s imperative that he is able to have this dog to save his life. When his story went viral, people who want this little boy to live the healthiest, most enjoyable life possible came through to help him get the dog he needs.
Isaiah’s Hand Sanitizer – $15,216
When a little boy heard about the water crisis earlier this year in Michigan, he was horrified. He’d heard that people were too scared to wash their hands in their own tap water, so he decided he wanted to raise $500 to buy hand sanitizer and send it to Michigan. He posted his efforts online and was shocked when he was able to raise more than $15,000 to help these people he’s never even met.
Super Fan – $9,267
When a little boy from North Carolina wanted to go to the Super Bowl to watch his favorite team play in the big game, he went to the internet for help to raise money to go. He was so cute and so sweet that many people decided to donate to his cause so that he could go to Santa Clara and watch them play. It was an amazing campaign.
