Hurricane Irma victims turn to GoFundMe, Facebook for help

When Helen Sharkey was helping her 80-year-old grandmother pick through personal items among the wreckage of her tornado-torn manufactured home, she knew she needed to do something. 

There they were in what was left of the Palm Bay Estates home looking for something, anything, to salvage. They were able to recover a couple of trinkets and a dining room table, but the rest of it was waterlogged and gone forever, said Sharkey. Furniture, linens, computers, even photos of her 78-year-old grandfather during his Marine Corps days. Destroyed. All of it. They would need to replace all of their household items and find a new place to live. How could her grandparents ever recover from this?

Sharkey turned to GoFundMe.

More:Debris pickup continues weeks after Hurricane Irma

More:Hurricane Irma recovery: Who to call if you need help

Then there is Chris Broadwell, who watched as her brother struggled through Hurricane Irma stuck in the hospital. The disabled veteran was recovering from a surgery when the storm hit. His wife and two children had evacuated. When he was discharged he returned to nothing, said Broadwell. His Merritt Island manufactured home was also struck by one of Irma's raging tornadoes. 

Broadwell turned to GoFundMe.

In Mims, Katelynn and Jacob Muholland evacuated, but returned to a tattered home after Hurricane Irma. Their manufactured home was also struck by a tornado, leaving them and their two young children — ages 4 and 8 months — homeless. The family lost almost everything. 

They, too, turned to GoFundMe.

Weeks after the storm, Irma victims are still picking up the pieces. Many have applied for FEMA assistance, others are waiting on insurance claims to pull through. But it's about the now, said Broadwell, whose family is in temporary housing. What do you do during the waiting game?

That's where crowdfunding comes into play, and GoFundMe is king.

Crowdfunding is a method of raising money where a person or organization looks to an extended network of supporters to finance a cause, whether that be a personal struggle, a new invention, a movie, or large nonprofit endeavor. With the rise of social media, crowdfunding has become a key player for those in need. The industry raised around $34 billion worldwide in 2015, the crowdfunding industry report states. 

Although there are several crowdfunding resources, such as YouCaring, Change.org, Indiegogo or Facebook Fundraisers, an abundance of Irma victims are turning toward GoFundMe in particular. A quick search on the site for "Irma" merits 20,105 results and counting. Revise the search to include "Brevard" and 59 results come up. The site recommends searching by location, such as a specific city or area, and having some kind of connection to the cause. Know who you are gifting, the site recommends.

More:Mims family of 7 loses everything to tornado during Irma

It's an immediate way to raise funds from friends and family across the country and the globe, said Sharkey, and seemed like a no-brainer in her case. Going through the hassle of setting up a bank account for donations seemed a bit archaic and not nearly as accessible.  

"It was a way for my grandparents to get the funds they need from around the world, really," said Sharkey, listing off friends and family who have contributed from places such as Costa Rica and Israel. "It's just so user-friendly." 

On the GoFundMe platform, users can create a fundraiser, share stories and pictures and add updates. Sharkey posted a number of photos of the destruction and her grandparents' backstory. 

"They are in need now," she writes. "They have no insurance and live on a modest fixed income. This is their only home, not a second home or vacation home, this was it."

Donors can then send money by filling out a short form and entering credit card information. When a gift is made, the contributor can post a public message or remain anonymous so that only the campaign organizer can see who donated. Contributing requires an email address and a zip code.

So far, Sharkey has raised $4,610 toward her $10,000 goal. The money will be used to "rent a home, fill their fridge, buy clothes, and more," she writes.

More:Police: Palm Bay tornado destroys six mobile homes

As for Broadwell's cause, her brother and sister-in-law, along with their children, are residing in temporary housing for disabled veterans, but the clock is ticking. They must be out by October 16, so the speed of GoFundMe was key.

Broadwell's GoFundMe campaign has raised $1,490 toward a $5,000 goal, which will be used to help the family pay security deposits and other expenses needed for a new home.

The Muhollands are residing with a family member.  A friend started their GoFundMe campaign and it has raised $2,010 toward a $5,000 goal.

"Anything helps, even just sharing the post," writes Jessica Hobbs, who created the campaign for the family.

All of the fundraising pages were created within days of the storm. 

"I would never ask for money from anybody. I’m embarrassed to ask for money," said Aron Lewington, Broadwell's brother, who is still recovering from a series of stomach surgeries. "Yet my sister asked for me, and here are my friends and family outpouring this, and I would have never expected it. I can't say thank you enough."

But there are drawbacks. 

GoFundMe takes a cut. Although it's free to start a campaign, the company deducts a 5 percent fee per donation, the website states, and another 2.9 percent for "processing." When a user goes to withdraw the money, they can expect to lose about 7.9 percent or .30 per donation, the site estimates. 

"Since our fee is deducted automatically, you'll never need to worry about being billed or owing us any money," the site states.

This has been a deterrent for some, said Broadwell. She has actually raised about $2,000 outside of the online campaign from those who sent checks directly.

"A lot of people didn’t want to give money through (GoFundMe), they wanted to just send a check," said Broadwell. "GoFundMe got their attention, but they didn’t want the fees." 

More:Merritt Island community hit hard by likely Hurricane Irma-spawned tornado

Facebook allows for personal fundraisers, but they must fit within one of the site's listed categories. Those include: education, medical, pet medical, crisis relief, personal emergency, funeral and loss, sports and community. The feature was announced in May. Fundraisers are reviewed by Facebook and money raised is subject to a 6.9 percent fee on top of a .30 fee for "payment processing, fundraiser vetting, and security and fraud protection," the website states.

Users can create a personal campaign at facebook.com/fundraisers. Thousands of dollars have been raised for crisis relief on Facebook following Hurricane Irma. The social media displays popular fundraisers among the user's Facebook friends. 

Like GoFundMe, YouCaring takes a percentage, too. It charges 2.9 percent plus .30 per donation. 

On the Indiegogo website, primarily for business ventures, it says they have raised $550 million between 250,000 fundraisers. 

"We believe kindness is powerful and that by leveraging today's technology, we can help the world by making the best use of humanity's most valuable untapped resource: compassion. No one should have to face hardship alone," the Indiegogo website states.

Stephen Munson, a volunteer who worked to help the Justice family recuperate after their home was destroyed in a Mims tornado, used Facebook Fundraisers to help raise funds for his cause. He was able to raise $2,200. Days later, his crew of volunteers was able to gift the Justice family a home in part from these donations. 

"I felt that something within the Facebook platform may be more seamless," said Munson on why he chose Facebook over other sites.

More:Volunteers reveal new home to Mims tornado victims

Regardless of the medium, it's about recovery, said Sharkey, and if it can help get the word out about her grandparents' struggle, then "it's worth it." 

"They’ve lost everything and if I could buy them a home right now I would and put them in it, but I can’t and that’s why I’m reaching out to as many people as I can," she said. "They’re two people that deserve the world."

To donate to these families, visit their campaigns here: 

Helen Sharkey: Support the Loveland Family 

Chris Broadwell: Support the Lewington Family 

Jessica Hobbs: Support the Muholland Family

Contact Saggio at 321-242-3664

or jsaggio@floridatoday.com.

Twitter: @jessicajsaggio