How many of you have participated in a GoFundMe fundraiser, a crowdfunding site, or one of the many, many social platforms that help people raise money for families in a devastating circumstance? I certainly have.
It is a great place for people to help others. It’s heartwarming and encouraging to see families, friends, colleagues and strangers come together to raise money to help someone.
These fundraising campaigns are becoming more and more popular, but I can imagine that the families that need these funds never planned on having this type of need. Usually, the need for these fundraisers come from an accident, a sudden illness or a devastating event, like a fire. Although most of the time families have insurance that covers these things, there are always unforeseen costs that you never imagine.
- Costs of travel to and from a hospital.
- Costs of having to take off of work to be at the hospital with a loved one.
- Costs of hotel stays.
- Costs of child care.
These are some of the reasons for the community to come together to help raise money for people in need.
Will Fundraising Always Be Effective?
I do see a problem arising though. People only have so much disposable income that they can donate to families, friends and their community. If these social fundraising sites are becoming more and more popular, how do we, as a society, pick and choose which ones to donate to? What family is in more need of another? Which devastating situation is more important than another?
So my thought is, can some of this be prevented? Are there ways to prepare for a devastating event?
- Insurance: Make sure you have the correct coverages for your needs.
- If possible, put savings aside in an emergency fund for these unpredictable situations.
- If possible, make sure you have a circle of friends and family that can help with children, meals, etc.
There will always be devastating events where there is no way to prevent or prepare for the extra costs. Those are the times when communities will really need to take a step forward and help out.
My goal this year is to help as many families as possible. When families are in need, I hope I am in a position to donate to their campaigns, for the unforeseen circumstances. But what I really want to do is help as many families as possible to prevent the need for those funds, but I can only give families information, teach them what I know and share my experiences. The final decision is theirs.
I plan to continue to answer as many questions as possible, and empower my community with knowledge.
For more information, give the Corwin-Rey team a call today at (360) 414-8574.