Ahead of Hurricane Florence, GoFundMe Briefs Officials in North Carolina and South Carolina

Press Release

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As the Southeast braces for Florence, GoFundMe is ready to ensure people get the help they need

As the Southeast prepares for Hurricane Florence, GoFundMe is also making preparations and working with state and local officials to ensure that the money raised on GoFundMe will get to those who need it most. Our giving community always steps up in times of need, and these preparations are to make sure their generosity is protected.

GoFundMe’s Trust & Safety team briefed officials in North Carolina and South Carolina on the steps we take to protect donors and recipients, and we explained our guarantee that all of the funds raised on GoFundMe will get to the right place.

One of the main points we discussed is the fact that GoFundMe has the ability to transfer funds directly to those in need. When a campaign is created to help another person or family, the funds are collected, held, and then transferred directly to the beneficiary of the GoFundMe rather than to the campaign organizer. That’s just one of the many ways we secure the platform and make sure the money quickly gets to the right party.

Our team will provide around-the-clock support. We are hoping for the best, planning for the worst, and we will stay in close touch with all organizers and beneficiaries to ensure the resources get to people in need as soon as possible.

Below you will find additional information on the GoFundMe Guarantee and all of our measures to secure the platform.

How campaign funds are released

It’s helpful to know how a donation ends up getting to a beneficiary (the person or group a campaign is intended to benefit). Funds are collected by our payment processors, held, and then released only to the person named as the beneficiary. If a campaign organizer has a direct, personal connection to the beneficiary, then in some instances the campaign organizer may withdraw the funds to provide directly to the beneficiary. If any questions arise, our team will hold the funds unless the beneficiary is verified to our satisfaction. This layer of protection ensures that funds go only into the right hands.

We are here to help

There are two crucial features users can find on each and every GoFundMe: a contact button for the campaign organizer (the person who started the campaign), and a ‘Report Campaign’ button. If you have any questions about the campaign, you can easily reach the organizer and ask them directly. In addition, clicking the ‘Report Campaign’ will result in one of our specialists investigating the campaign. If you can’t find the campaign you want to report, then you can send us a message here, and please provide as much information as you can about the campaign. We take these reports very seriously, and we will take immediate action if anything is wrong.

When all’s said and done, what matters most to us is that you are protected and those who need help get the help they deserve. If you have a question, please let us know.

We hope this sheds light on our safety and security measures. For additional information, please visit our Safety hub. All donors are protected by a refund policy. For more information about the GoFundMe Guarantee, visit here.

About GoFundMe

Launched in 2010, GoFundMe is the world’s largest social fundraising platform, with over $5 billion raised so far. With a community of more than 50 million donors, GoFundMe is changing the way the world gives. Find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram

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