2020 has been quite the tumultuous year,вк минет from the COVID-19 pandemic to an unprecedented wildfire and hurricane season and the reckoning for racial justice.
But people from around the world stepped up to donate to those in need — contributing to some historic records for the fundraising platform GoFundMe, now in its 10th year.
Two days after the police killing of George Floyd on May 25, Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, started a memorial fund to provide for costs including holding a funeral for Floyd, burying him, and providing mental and grief counseling for Floyd's family. Donations poured in, resulting in a total of more than $14 million raised.
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The Official George Floyd Memorial Fund received more donations than any other fundraiser everin GoFundMe's history. More than 500,000 donors contributed.
Fundraisers to address racial injustice didn't stop with Floyd. Donors on GoFundMe raised $6.7 million (and counting) for Breonna Taylor's family after the 26-year-old Black woman was fatally shot by Louisville police officers in March. This pushed the Justice for Breonna Taylor fund into the top five biggest GoFundMe fundraisers of 2020. More than 200,000 donors gave, making it the second-largest fundraiser in 2020 based on number of donations, after the George Floyd memorial fund. You can still donate to Breonna Taylor's family here.
Microgiving made its mark on justice and equality fundraisers, with people most commonly giving $20 apiece to these causes, according to a GoFundMe spokesperson.
On June 2, as protesters against Floyd's death gathered in Minneapolis where he died, more donations than ever were made on GoFundMe. People gave to George Floyd's family and related causes, including protesters against racial injustice in need of legal support and supplies and organizations that fight racism, such as the NAACP.
"GoFundMe has always been a place where people can turn to when they face immediate need — traditionally, this has been most common for medical, memorial, and emergency expenses," said the GoFundMe spokesperson. "This year, we saw people turn to GoFundMe for a much wider range of causes than ever before. For example, in response to the movement for racial equality, we saw an influx of fundraisers started for peaceful protests, help for the victims and families of injustice..."
Food insecurity also caused people to open up their wallets generously.
Donors from 77 countries gave over $44 million to help feed food-insecure people in America, already facing a crisis before the pandemic, with about 35 million people affected, according to the hunger-relief organization Feeding America. This is the largest GoFundMe in terms of funds raised. The last time a GoFundMe even came close to that number was in 2017 with the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund, which raised $24.2 million to connect people who experience "sexual harassment, abuse, or related retaliation in the workplace" with legal or public relations help, according to its GoFundMe page.
Food insecurity will continue to be a problem in America even after the pandemic is long over. If you want to donate to the fund, you can do so here.
Frontline workers were also top of mind for GoFundMe users in 2020, especially given the lack of personal protective equipment in healthcare centers, which put healthcare workers, their patients, and their communities at greater risk of catching the virus. Donors gave over $8.2 million to the Frontline Responders Fund, which funded the transport of 47 million units of personal protective equipment and relief supplies to healthcare workers. While donors have chipped in a lot already, the fund has a $10 million goal. Consider donating here.
Native Americans were also hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. They are about three times more likely to be hospitalized due to the virus than non-Hispanic white people, according to the CDC. Donors have given almost $7 million on GoFundMe to Navajo and Hopi families to provide purchases or reimbursements of food, medical items, water, PPE, and other essential items, according to the fund's GoFundMe page. You can still donate here to help the fund reach its $13 million goal.
SEE ALSO: GoFundMe users have raised $625 million for pandemic relief since MarchWhile people were likely strapped for cash given widespread job losses precipitated by the pandemic, they still gave, even if in smaller amounts. Nearly 70 percent of all donations in 2020 were less than $50.
And compared to 2019, when donations totaled 120 million, GoFundMe brought in over 150 million donations amid an economic crisis. This year, the fast-growing categories globally were business and community.
"Throughout the hardships of 2020, we've seen an extraordinary outpouring of generosity from a global community that’s united by a desire to take action and help others," noted a GoFundMe press release. "It's important to remember that we’re our best when we come together. As we look toward 2021 and enter the next decade of giving, we can build a more caring world and inspire hope for a better tomorrow."
Topics Activism Social Good Racial Justice