After a tragedy, crowdfunding is more about making a public statement and ameliorating one's feelings than it is actually about helping those in need, claims Phillip Rojc.
"Fundraising isn’t the first thing most people think of after a national tragedy like the Orlando shootings. We ask why this keeps happening. We wonder what can be done. Many of us are furious that more hasn't been done already to stop gun-related carnage. Still, legislative deadlock aside, the public’s response has been heartening.
"In particular, online crowdfunding campaigns have done a phenomenal job raising resources for the victims, their families, and Orlando’s LGBTQ community. The most prominent effort is the Pulse Victims Fund on GoFundMe, which, as of this writing, has raised about $5.16 million from over 100,000 donors. That averages out to around $50 per donor, with a median probably closer to Bernie Sanders’ famed $27. And that’s in five days."--Phillip Rojc, Inside Philanthropy