Go Fund Me?

It seems that almost every day there is a story in our state newspaper of someone who needs help. Then there is the call for donations through something like a "Go Fund Me" page or to a charity, often a little known charity, or for a one-off event.

I have often wondered how deserving some of these people are. Perhaps I should not judge anyone in this way but it is still something I wonder about. I have never donated to any "GoFundMe" request and I am even less likely to do it now than I might have even several days ago.

Why? It is because, as I have always felt there might be, one of these "requests" turned out to be a scam. Apparently "loving" parents chose to shave a child's head, put a bandage on and photograph him sitting in a wheelchair to claim he had cancer and they needed the funds for medical treatment.

I am beyond appalled by this. Parents who are currently sitting by the bed of a critically ill child must, if they know anything about it, be completely bewildered and even more stressed by it. Why on earth would anyone do this - except to steal from others while doing great harm to both their children? Their children have been removed for now but the question has to be "are they fit to be parents?" What is going to do more harm - return them or have family bring them up?

And how will all this affect this sort of fundraising? There is another lot of fundraising going on right now because two violent teens - out on bail - have been arrested for causing very serious harm to a very young child. She is in hospital with a fractured skull. The injury she has incurred may have life long consequences. It is something which will take time to discover and the family will be facing ongoing trauma for a very long time. All this is well documented and the community in which the family live have rallied in support. That is right and proper and I hope the support is ongoing. I do not want to see it reduced because of the extreme selfishness of the parents who have lied to obtain a financial benefit.

It would be so good to be able to help everyone genuinely in need but I will also continue to be extremely wary of GoFundMe requests to help.  I am equally wary of some charities making demands we consider others at Christmas. One charity here has a very, very expensive advertisement running on prime time television. This same charity has been looking for donations in our local shopping centre. It has been there since the beginning of the month. While people may have donated early on I observed people just walking straight past on the last few occasions I have been there.

Yesterday I took the things a friend has gathered over the year to a collection point for a shelter. She has very little to give in the way of money but she embroiders small items that can be used. It is her way of giving back. When I passed them over one of the women working there looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, "I still have my little bag. It's so lovely."  Her life too has come full circle and, like my friend, she is now giving back to the charity which once helped her.

My friend was given help when she most needed it and she is giving her time and skills in return. It is not just money we need to give. It is time and skills. 

I admire both those women for giving what they can.