DENVER (KDVR) — Online donations continue to skyrocket for victims of the Marshall Fire ahead of the president’s visit to the area devastated by the historic tragedy.
“It’s been humbling to see the help for these families and small businesses and schools to recover, at a time when they need it,” says Leigh Lehman, a spokesperson for GoFundMe.
Another GoFundMe spokesperson says more than 1,300 fundraising efforts have been started to help Marshall Fire Families, raising $18 million.
Of every dollar donated, 97% goes to the recipient. A 2.9% fee and 30-cent fee are part of the processing transaction, and the organizer never has access to the funds.
“An organizer never has access to funds-raised,” Lehman says. “They will go directly to the beneficiary.”
Fees are never incurred when starting a GoFundMe fundraiser.
This digital outpouring of help from strangers is not the only group giving to those facing the hardest times of their lives. Businesses around the Boulder areas have been hosting events and collecting donations since the tragedy struck.
Marshall Fire related links
- How to help people impacted by the Marshall Fire
- Resources for those impacted by the fire
- Embers, like snowflakes in a blizzard: Fire behavior expert explains Marshall Fire
- Watch: Flyover above what many describe as ‘war scene’
- Photos: Aftermath of the Marshall Fire in Superior, Louisville, Broomfield
- Marshall Fire is already most destructive fire in Colorado history
- Major Disaster Declaration approved for Colorado
- FEMA opens disaster assistance center, provides updates on help for Marshall Fire victims
- Drone pilot captures firefighters protecting homes from Marshall Fire