Go Fund Me for Co-workers?

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Specializes in ER.

If you're on Facebook, you're probably familiar with a Go Fund Me appeal being posted for a co-worker. I have mixed feelings about this.

Often, multiple people will repost for a particularly popular person. One recent post was the adult daughter of a gal who worked in the hospital, who died suddenly, trying to raise money for funeral expenses and to help her. Her goal was $20,000. I thought, what kind of funeral are you planning? It felt like she was trying to cash in on this.

When I see one for someone who has expenses from an illness, I think about the many people who also had illnesses, had to have FMLA perhaps, also incurred the extra expenses, and no Go Fund Me.

There are people who get into a pickle because they blow their money on trips, the casino, enabling adult children, or blowing their PTO and sick time frivolously. Then comes the cry for help when Murphy strikes.

Any thoughts?

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

I just discovered that GFM proceeds are taxable income to the recipient.

I see some that are ok (my background is Peds ICU and there are some heartbreaking situations for innocent families) - but I also see a lot that are just an attempt to not have to do the work necessary to maintain the lifestyle (my niece wanting $$ for car repairs when she just finished a series of tattoos).

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

A while back there were a couple of posters on here making a case for GFM accounts to pay for their nursing school. You see, they didn't want to work AND go to school.

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Specializes in Critical care.

I had a non-nursing classmate who made one for herself. She was getting advanced degrees and stated she needed help even after working multiple jobs for years. I found it laughable because she'd gone on a 2 week vacation a month or two before creating the GFM- even if she didn't pay for the vacation she obviously wasn't working for 2 weeks. I just ignored it- I don't think she got very many donations.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

There was a mom of one of my daughter's classmates who set one up begging for money to send her daughter to college. Right after she posted about her and her husband booking a two week cruise í ½í¸® Really?

And you do have to watch the amount, it is actually the person who sets it up that can get a tax bill on the amount raised, as it is that person who has to withdraw the money.

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Specializes in MDS/ UR.

I have a more open mind for funeral and catastrophic illness or injury fund requests.

A lot of the world is struggling and needs help.

One can just cruise on by such items without getting judged.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

DH found a Go Fund Me account for a couple he used to work with. He was married, she was living with a long term partner and they both up and quit their jobs one day and ran off to live in Florida. Evidently paying child support for his first family and living on a what two CNAs make isn't compatible with the lifestyle they had envisioned for themselves. They created a GFM account to help them with their day-to-day living expenses. What I thought was absolutely ludicrous is that some people actually contributed!

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The thing about people donating to strangers is that they don't know how much of what is on the page is true. Just because someone has a family member or child in the hospital does not mean they need thousands of dollars.

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I have donated to a couple of Go Fund Me pages, friends or someone I know of that is having a valid issue that I feel deserves help.

I think back to where we had a crisis in our household (this was before Go Fund Me) and a friend offered to do a fundraiser for us. We were one of those very sad stories that would have compelled many people to give us money. We said no. We had insurance and were able to cover co pays and deductibles etc. We asked people if they felt compelled to give to us to go donate blood as the availability of blood and blood products is what made our tragedy have a happy ending. I know many people would have used this as an opportunity to make some cash, but I felt the bills we had because of it were OUR responsibility, not anyone else's.

I say give if you feel it is right and give with a joyous heart. If not, then don't.

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Stuff like this used to really bother me - I had a "friend" that had one because she continued to make really crappy life choices and wanted people to support her while she "found" herself. But honestly, if people are willing to fork over cash for stuff like that, more power to them.

If there is someone that I want to help with something, I'll bring food, or gift certificates or my shoulder as needed. I just ignore the fundraising stuff - not being on Facebook really helps :)

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Specializes in Adult and Pediatric Vascular Access, Paramedic.
A while back there were a couple of posters on here making a case for GFM accounts to pay for their nursing school. You see, they didn't want to work AND go to school.

Those poor babies :rolleyes: , I worked full time while going to school for all of my degrees, if only I had known I could have just leached off other people! :yes:

Annie

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$20K for funderal expenses sounds shocking, but it is what a modest funeral costs.

My wonderful mother died a year ago. She was always a very practical person who didn't believe in wasting money. She always said she didn't care if we buried her or cremated her. After her death we went to plan her funeral. We selected the most basic of everything for a burial. Once you figure in cost of plot, headstone, casket, vault (required by law), etc., the cost was well over $20K.

We then priced cremation. That was over $6K.

We live in a very low cost-of-living area. I can only imagine what a funeral would cost in other parts of the country.

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