Castanet

What makes one GFM more news worthy then another one. A quick search on GFM shows 1416 hits for Kelowna and over four hundred hits for Vernon.

How does one get their GFM to be headline news, just asking for Vega1500, hate to see anyone being trapped AB.

vegas1500 wrote:I’m “trapped” in Alberta.....can I get money to go see friends in Maui?

Seriously, there are alot of GFM requests that are just as credible or more, and are not news headlines, which I am sure
increases the donations because of the increased awareness in the community.

I don't find any GFM request as newsworthy, should leave it to social media for dissemination.

GenesisGT wrote:How does one get their GFM to be headline news

It's usually an effort on somebody to reach out to the media and tell them about it. News editors look at this specific cause and determine if it's newsworthy. They don't scan all GFM pages to make the news, it's brought to them for attention either personally or through social media. Lots of people reach out, but it has to be a combination of a slow day for the news, human angle the editor will find appealing, and enough plea for attention. Without any of that, it doesn't make the news.

I can't stand gofund me, it's turned this generation into a bunch of moochers. What about saving your pennies for a rainy day? I mean the initial concept was a good idea, but now it's everybody and their dog who seem to start a page. The lastest one I came across was someone asking for a plane ticket for their friend. I'm sorry, but save your money and buy it yourself. If it's a terrible tradegy, then yes that's one thing. But in general, I would never donate. Do people who donate to these causes get a reciept of sorts to know where their money is going to?

Donate or don't donate

Here is a hell of a concept, if go fund me posts puo then stop reading them. I have never once gone onto the go fund me site ever.

vegas1500 wrote:

stuphoto wrote:If she doesn't have the proper paperwork to stay there, can't she just turn herself and her family in.
Then get deported back to Canada at some taxpayers expense?
Problem solved.

That’s even worse than a GFM. I don’t want a penny of my taxes paying for her free flight. She went there 10 years ago and I bet she had zero intention of ever coming back to Canada...but something went bad and “good old Canada” will bail her out.

I agree with you, however I am hoping that Croatia is the ones paying her fair.
I am also scared that she will claim Refugee Status or something along those lines and get welfare for life.

sherashera wrote:I can't stand gofund me, it's turned this generation into a bunch of moochers.

LOL asking for money isn't "this generation" thing. GFM just provides a new way of doing it, before that it was fundraisers just like this. Like saying Tinder turned this generation into a bunch of *bleep* - no, people were whoring since day 1, technology just provides a new way of doing it.

crookedmember wrote:She's been there for years, but hasn't bothered to learn Croatian? Sounds like a real go-getter.

Likely she did not meet citizenship requirements at the time she arrived. She probably has permanent resident status, which is not the same at citizenship. As years passed, maybe she didn't apply for citizenship because she had no need to. Her non-citizenship in Croatia is only an issue in this case because it means the Croatian government doesn't have to help her out of this situation.

I used to know someone who came here from the UK and had been here for decades, and had landed immigrant status but never became a citizen. Now don't worry, she was gainfully employed, paid taxes etc, just wasn't a citizen. It's not that uncommon.

stuphoto wrote:If she doesn't have the proper paperwork to stay there, can't she just turn herself and her family in.
Then get deported back to Canada at some taxpayers expense?
Problem solved.

It's not that she can't legally stay there, it's that she doesn't want to.

I'm of the generation and work ethic where if I need a bunch of money for something... I do some of the following:

- Work harder
- Work more hours
- Sell stuff I can do without
- Budget better to save money


I don't ask for handouts from strangers.

seems like GoFundMe was started to address large issues ( like the horrible bus accident) and devolved into I want money, chip in. Yes I don't have to donate but I wonder if people who can ill afford to donate do so thinking it is for the greater good? Non newsworthy story imo - she wants to bail on her Hubby and is tugging at heart strings.
She lived elsewhere for 10 years... wonder what she donated whilst living abroad
And I agree the FB donate for my B Day is annoying. Milking people isn't very nice. Article says she can't go to the Embassy, why not?
I would like some new shoes if anyone wants to shod me :)

normaM wrote:seems like GoFundMe was started to address large issues ( like the horrible bus accident) and devolved into I want money, chip in. Yes I don't have to donate but I wonder if people who can ill afford to donate do so thinking it is for the greater good? Non newsworthy story imo - she wants to bail on her Hubby and is tugging at heart strings.
She lived elsewhere for 10 years... wonder what she donated whilst living abroad
And I agree the FB donate for my B Day is annoying. Milking people isn't very nice. Article says she can't go to the Embassy, why not?
I would like some new shoes if anyone wants to shod me :)

I agree. What started out as an act of generosity for those that were placed/forced into a position that was beyond their control, has turned into an electronic panhandling scheme. it's only going to get worse, just like all the scams that we all are inundated with on our cel phones, emails, and home phones. The beggar/panhandlers don't even have to get out of bed and sit on the sidewalk all day to get paid anymore. All they have to do is steal someone else's smartphone and connect via the free wifi at the library to solicit their ill gotten gains.
There are soooo many of them these days, that the truely "in need" are being robbed of assistance.

Lots of folks on this thread with amazing personal stories. Lots of folks who never felt entitled to anything, except the right to judge others.

I don't know what this family's situation is, or what other options they've exhausted trying to get home. I know some people will do everything they can to protect their family, especially their children. Including using crowdfunding to get out of a bad situation.

The husband has lost his business and is "soon to be estranged". Sounds like he's off to prison. I wonder if their assets (money, property, residence) have been seized. Maybe all of the above has happened, maybe none of it has. I don't know so I'll withhold judgement. Others probably know more than I do.

Heck, if we want to get really cynical (and this is the Castanet Forums, of course we do), take the Humboldt Broncos crash. Hockey is an expensive sport. These were not poor families. And insurance will cover their losses, won't it? So why the need to raise millions? Couldn't they just work harder to get what they need? Every problem can be overcome if you just work hard enough, can't it?

At what point does a person become worthy of receiving help? At what point does saying "I have a problem, and I can't solve it on my own" become a character flaw? Now, back to the Humboldt example, none of the families involved started the GFM or even directly asked for money. Is that the key difference? They did still take it when it was offered.

It's an interesting thing to think about.

I love how some have this hatred for GoFundMe as if they're knocking on your door, calling you during dinner, flyers on your windshield etc.
So you work harder , save , your grandparents thought you well blah, blah, blah, this generation is gone to hell etc Just DON'T donate , infact it's so much easier not to.
Fact is there are legit situations where people get blindsided in life and NEED assistance and this is a way for private money to reach them.
If parents need money for travel expenses so they can be with their kid during cancer treatments, or if a family needs cause of a death or some other sudden hardship, Donate if you want

If the idea of donating money to some 20yr old cause he needs guitar strings don't open your wallet, DON'T worry about it.

well the way I see it, if you are going to ask strangers for donations then answering questions about where the money is going shouldn't be a problem..(and yes we all know donate if you or want or not, and please don't pester people who do NOT want to donate)

people are questioning why this woman needs $11K more when she has Family members living here that she could stay with until she gets back on her feet..she has the money right now to fly home, she should be just grateful for getting that amount..

and it's nuts not to think that people use GoFMe's as scams...I know someone who we donated a nice chunk of change towards their GoFMe for their sick child who ended up using the money to buy a brand new vehicle for themselves...and yes, he looks like a fool now since everybody knows this is what they donated towards ...meanwhile the child is still very sick (fighting cancer) and this fight could last a very long time, and all the funds are gone, spent on a brand new high end truck with all the bells and whistles..

Is there a "Subscribe" button at GoFundMe I don't know about where people get the latest request list?
From what I know maybe friends of mine has sent a link to me on something that probably would be mutually concerning, if they sent me crap I'd have to rethink who I should have as friends.