Crowd funding: Yay or Nay?

Nurses General Nursing

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Over the last couple of years I have donated to 2 crowd-funding appeals. Both were folks that I (somewhat) knew and both were for dire, life-altering reasons.

Lately, these types of "give me $$" appeals seem to be multiplying like crazy. Folks are asking for money for any and everything. I saw one on Facebook recently that was asking strangers to pay her entire way through nursing school :yes:

I don't know why this bothers me. Maybe it's the unspoken assumption that if I've worked my way into a position in life where I might have a few bucks to spare, I'd be happy to part with that money to help someone else not have to work as hard as I did. Obviously, I don't have to pay any attention to the appeals if I don't want to. It just seems so......nervy, I guess. As in, it takes a lot of.

What does everyone else think?

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
It's like this. Many of us are from a background (culture, age, spirituality, upbringing) that it is inappropriate to advertise, badger, cajole, guilt others into financing their life decisions, especially those that are only peripherally involved. It is like lending (or not lending) money to a friend. There are invariably issues and hurt feelings that crop up.

But in these days, when some are determined to suck every present they can out of others, crowd funding is not something. Traditions like baby showers for the first child only for a family and buying supplies that be used in other pregnancies are replaced by "sprinkle showers" for every child, and the truly annoying "gender reveal" parties. You want to announce the gender, call me or send a text, I will be just as thrilled. These days, parents compete for how to throw the best and most expensive party for children that are too young to remember them, and get snitty about the "level" of present. What happened to actually caring about the event, pajama parties, and sherbet with ginger ale punch, and any gift was appreciated.

I worked full time through nursing school and raised my sister, child. And I did pay tuition often with my credit card, and I paid it off slowly. And I counted myself lucky. I have also paid for my trips and my life, my family and friends were not asked to pay for those things.

(Sorry regarding the vent. I pay many of my mothers bills including her very expensive FL house insurance. A friend that spent much of her life, buying the best of everything, has thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of real jewelry, collectible precious moments, and latest electronic products. Her mother's house burned down recently - no one was hurt, but no house insurance. Many of us were "invited" to donate to them, preferable to the tune of 100s to 1000s of dollars. I declined, whereupon, said friend confronted me, explaining how poor she is. When I (no real jewelry, few very dated electronics, no house as I rent) explained that I did not have that kind of money, and perhaps she could some of her many pieces of jewelry or collectibles, she went off on me.

I work with a woman whose father gave her $10,000 for her birthday -- just direct deposited it into her checking account for her. She was lamenting that he usually gave her more. The next day, she was upset because "someone emptied out the checking account." She didn't know how she was going to buy groceries. And she asked me for money. I was on the verge of giving her $20 for groceries to get her through to payday when someone else asked her if she didn't have a savings account.

"Yes," she said. "But I only have $46,000 in it and it's only for emergencies!" And she further revealed that her father had bought her a house and a car . . . that GOD she didn't have to come up with house or car payments! From being upset on behalf of someone who had $10,000 stolen from their checking account, I became disgusted with someone who had a house and a car with no payments, who had $46,000 in savings and was asking co-workers (who make less money and pay for their own houses and cars) for grocery money. I never respected her again.

Some people seem to feel that they're entitled, and that everyone else should donate. Others feel that they should work for what the have. Count me among the latter.

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No its not an option. It's my final semester. I do work. I work as many hours as I can. I have cut costs. I'm applying for additional scholarships. I'm doing everything in my power to finish this last semester not on WELFARE. I'm very surprised at how judgemental this site has been over it. My Facebook friends aren't actually strangers last time I checked. I don't friend people I don't know. If people share it, that's their choice, I'm sorry my need is offensive to you.

I appreciate your sincerity, but I don't agree with crowdfunding for school. You have time to post on this site- you could be working to pay for school, instead.

I don't intend to offend or insult you, but I just do not believe that there is no other option but to ask strangers for money.

I do believe you have every right to ask, though, and that anyone has the right to contribute or not.

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I have/am crowdfunding. I got injured on the job and cannot work until pt is done and my employer is fighting my workers comp claim. I'm blessed that I can live with my mom but she's going through bankruptcy, pays the mortgage with ss (she also works) and my dad was a deadbeat (who died two years ago). I've tried getting loans but no one will give them to me. I was halfway through my semester when my financial aid was revoked and it stuck me with the full bill (I finished since I would have owed the full amount and got all As). I certainly don't think people owe me anything. I have donated to crowdfunding before because I like to help people out. If anyone wants to help me out that's their choice, I'm definitely not going to judge someone for saying no.

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No its not an option. It's my final semester. I do work. I work as many hours as I can. I have cut costs. I'm applying for additional scholarships. I'm doing everything in my power to finish this last semester not on WELFARE. I'm very surprised at how judgemental this site has been over it. My Facebook friends aren't actually strangers last time I checked. I don't friend people I don't know. If people share it, that's their choice, I'm sorry my need is offensive to you.

Why is it not an option? Because you don't want to is not a legimate reason.

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buh????

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I really this is a zombie thread but I wanted to chime in. I was recently diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer with mets to liver, lungs and lymph nodes. A dear friend started a go fund me page on my behalf. It was a shock but very appreciated.

I have no control over it...not over what is written or shared..I have asked my friend to share specific info..not because I am being cagey but because I want some semblance of control and because some of the more detailed info about my health has escalated people in my day to day. I don't mind general info being shared. I know people care.

Being on the recipient's end is humbling but awkward. You feel grateful...so much so that you feel you have to lay your life out for the small donation someone gave..but with that comes stress and a loss of privacy.

Anyway, just trying to show the other side..

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
I really this is a zombie thread but I wanted to chime in. I was recently diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer with mets to liver, lungs and lymph nodes. A dear friend started a go fund me page on my behalf. It was a shock but very appreciated.

I have no control over it...not over what is written or shared..I have asked my friend to share specific info..not because I am being cagey but because I want some semblance of control and because some of the more detailed info about my health has escalated people in my day to day. I don't mind general info being shared. I know people care.

Being on the recipient's end is humbling but awkward. You feel grateful...so much so that you feel you have to lay your life out for the small donation someone gave..but with that comes stress and a loss of privacy.

Anyway, just trying to show the other side..

I think most people don't have an issue at all with people needing help with things that are out of their control- fires, natural disasters, unexpected loss of a loved one, medical issues, things along that line. What many are expressing an issue with is those who seek money for things that aren't necessary or that there are other routes to obtain funds (student loans for school, for example).

I do wish you the best with your health issues.

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I really this is a zombie thread but I wanted to chime in. I was recently diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer with mets to liver, lungs and lymph nodes. A dear friend started a go fund me page on my behalf. It was a shock but very appreciated.

I have no control over it...not over what is written or shared..I have asked my friend to share specific info..not because I am being cagey but because I want some semblance of control and because some of the more detailed info about my health has escalated people in my day to day. I don't mind general info being shared. I know people care.

Being on the recipient's end is humbling but awkward. You feel grateful...so much so that you feel you have to lay your life out for the small donation someone gave..but with that comes stress and a loss of privacy.

Anyway, just trying to show the other side..

Sending light your way, and so sorry for your health issues.

Please be careful, and if you have not already done so, open a separate account for your funding. A good friend had issues with crowd funding, as in people want to "see their name in lights" and then charged back on their credit card, there were fees involved, my friend's account was messed up from it--a lot of crazy stuff.

At one point the fees eating into their own account funds

Be careful, and keep all of that funding separate.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.
Did you pay tuition for this program?

My reference was to the diploma programs prior to yours, where very few expenses/tuition payments were required.

I've worked with several grads of the earlier diploma programs as described, and I stand by those descriptions. Your dismissal of my post is irrelevant, since you addressed a different era/program.

My my diploma program 1970-1972, cost me $30.00/mo......that included a pvt dorm room, and three meals a day.......school/clinical hours were eight hr. Long........during senior year, we could work as staff on weekends, ...... I think there was a meager charge for textbooks.....oh and our blue and white seersucker uniforms, with traditional white bib and aprons...were furnished, along with hospital launder service that kept them crisply starched, they could stand by themselves......I do believe we had to purchase our white lace up clinic shoes...........wow that is a walk down memory lane.....sorry I got side tracked

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