Although private insurers and the government are still supporting the majority of rebuilding costs, the potency of private fundraisers like GoFundMe has increasing significance as the frequency of climate-related disasters increases – and as Donald Trump threatens to close the federal agency tasked with disaster relief.
To date, more than a million donors in all 50 states and 160 countries have donated more than $250m to support fire relief and recovery efforts, about $20m more than GoFundMe collected after all other disasters last year, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
In an effort to combat those inequalities – especially after the Eaton fire ravaged the predominantly Black neighborhood of Altadena – GoFundMe randomizes which fundraisers appear on its California Wildfires centralized hub and highlights fundraisers that have received less support on its social channels.
GoFundMe raises $250m for LA fires victims, more than for all other disasters last year The fundraising platform saw more than a million donors in all 50 states and 160 countries donate to relief and recovery.
Just over a month since devastating wildfires broke out across southern California, the fundraising platform GoFundMe has raised more money for victims of the fires than for all other natural disasters worldwide last year.
