The holiday season is finally upon us, and it's truly a season of giving — especially when it comes to the causes that are most important to us. And with 2020 being the year of challenges that it's been, there are a lot of people out there who need our help, and one of the first places the tend to turn are sites like GoFundMe that make it easy for us to donate to those in need.
If the world was a perfect place, no one would ever have to suffer without the things they need or can't afford, but unfortunately, the world isn't perfect. And that's where we can all help one another out. Though many of us have truly struggled financially this year, those of us who have the funds might consider reaching out to a family or a cause that's in need, because one look through GoFundMe makes it pretty clear that a lot of people are looking for help with medical bills, adoptions, education, and everything in between.
Read on for GoFundMe campaigns that are currently seeking donors. One of these might end up sounding like a cause worthy of donating to or passing along, and there's no doubt the recipients would be grateful for the extra funds from anyone who is able to help out.
Helping the Foleys
This fundraiser is raising money to support the Foley family after they said goodbye to their son, Noah, who died at age 13 after suffering from brain swelling and a spinal cord infection after being bitten by ticks. The money will go to help Noah's family as they mourn his death.
The Nolan Family
Earlier in 2020, members of the Nolan family were in a car crash that took the life of their youngest child, Micki, left their mother, Taran, in critical condition, and injured two of their other children. For now, the family is in South Carolina, where the crash happened, miles from their home in California, as some members remain hospitalized, and this fundraiser aims to pay for their medical bills and other needs.
The Brooklyn Relief Kitchen
This fundraiser is raising money to support the Brooklyn Relief Kitchen in New York, which aims to fight food insecurity in the area — an issue that's especially important this year. The charity prepares meals and distributes boxes of food in the community to those who need them.
A College Fund For Roberto
After losing his parents to COVID-19 in 2020, Roberto Tobias, a college senior, is looking for help with his college education. His parents both contracted the virus and died within one month of each other. The parents had immigrated from the Philippines and raised their children in the US. Roberto's goal is to go to medical school and become a neurosurgeon.
Keeping a Family Together
Robert Carter — who grew up in foster care — became a foster parent to five siblings. He then went on to adopt all five of them so they wouldn't have to be separated. Now, his community is raising funds for him since, of course, raising five kids gets expensive!
Rise Up for Rhys
This fundraiser is raising money for a baby named Rhys who has been diagnosed spinal muscular atrophy. She needs a life-saving drug, but it costs $2.1 million, so her family is trying to raise the funds so that they are able to get her the help she needs.
The Frontline Workers' Counseling Project
As frontline workers have continued to keep our communities running amid the pandemic, their mental health has been suffering. This fundraiser aims to make sure that those who need counseling are able to get it. The project is working to provide as many hours of free therapy to frontline workers as it can.
Supporting Adoption in a Difficult Time
This GoFundMe is raising money for Rico, who has adopted his five nieces and nephews after his brother-in-law died from COVID-19. These donations will help him with all of the costs that come with raising the children, in addition to the four children he and his wife have already.
Chromebooks for Students
Football player Shawn Williams is organizing this fundraiser to help supply high school students with Chromebooks who are learning virtually this year. The money goes to purchasing the laptops for students in need at Early County High School as they continue to learn remotely.
A Future for Baby Raven
Baby Raven Lilly lost her father, and unfortunately, he didn't leave any money behind to help with her and her mother's expenses. This fundraiser was started by their family to help raise money for Raven and her mom to find a place to live and for Raven's future college expenses.
Save Levi's Home
Levi, a young boy with Ewing sarcoma, is at risk of losing the home he lives in with his mom and his brother, which would be especially difficult since the home is already outfitted with everything necessary for his medical needs. The goal of this fundraiser is to raise enough money so his mom can own the home outright and not worry about becoming homeless.
Breast Cancer Treatment for Nadine
This fundraiser is collecting cash for Nadine, a 32-year-old who is undergoing breast cancer treatment. Despite having health insurance, she is unable to pay for the procedures she needs, and because of travel restrictions, her family can't be with her while she goes through treatment.
Affordable Housing
This effort is raising funds for an affordable housing co-op. Their business, the Compost Cooperative, employs people who have been incarcerated and helps them own their own businesses, and now, they want to take it a step further and help them with housing security as well.
PowHERful
This one is raising money for PowHERful, the foundation from Soledad O'Brien that helps support women each year as they graduate college and enter the workforce. Each year, new scholars join the program, and it helps them overcome financial obstacles that may have kept them from success in the past.
Helping Holly Beat Cancer
This fundraiser has a goal of helping a little girl named Holly and her family pay for her medical expenses after they recently found out that she has cancer. Not only are they having to pay for her treatment costs, but they're also renovating their home to make it more comfortable for her. Her parents are unable to work as they cannot risk bringing home any germs that could make her sicker.
Black Journalists' Therapy Relief Fund
The Black Journalists' Therapy Relief Fund is working to provide mental health services to Black journalists free of cost. The support is granted in the form of cash to both freelance and full-time journalists, who may then use the money to seek help how they choose.
The Hernandez Family
This fundraiser is raising money for the Hernandez family, who lost everything they owned in the Glass Fire in Deer Park, California. Due to the fires that hit their places of employment, they've also lost their income. These funds can help them find a new place to live and replace what they've lost.
Sending Books to the Navajo Nation
This fundraiser is helping to purchase and send books written by people in the Diné community to send to children in the Navajo Nation. This allows the children to receive books where the characters look like them and that are written in their language — something that's hard to find, while also supporting Diné authors.
The New Teacher Project
Now that more learning is virtual than ever, the New Teacher Project is helping to give students in public schools more access to equal opportunities in school. It helps train teachers, collect data on teaching and learning, and help provides assistance to schools in helping students do their best.
Education in the Galapagos Islands
The Tomás de Berlanga school in the Galapagos Islands has run out of funds during the pandemic, and now needs help — especially because most of the students who attend are there on a scholarship. The fund is raising money to avoid closing the school down so it can continue providing an education to students regardless of who is able to afford to attend.
