GREENSBORO, N.C. — GoFundMe has been the go-to place online to either ask for help or give help for more than a decade. When you go to the site, you see local fundraisers and what is trending. Even after a few days, damage from Debby is still a main focus.
There are three main North Carolina stories, Charlotte, Franklinton, and Murphy.
"The work that goes on behind the scenes at GoFundMe is we assemble a dedicated crisis response team. Those fundraisers then all get reviewed by our trust and safety team," said Leigh Lehman, Director of Communications of GoFundMe.
That is the internal vetting process. But all too often, we don't know the people asking for help. 2WTK asked GoFundMe how givers should vet the fundraisers before they donate.
"So we know folks want to do their research and we empower them to do that. Reviewing that fundraiser page, does it have a clear title? Is the image clear? Do you understand the story, as well as the use of funds? Also, check the beneficiary connection, and look at how is the organizer related to the recipient of the funds. Are people making donations and then leaving supportive comments? These are usually good signs for reviewing the fundraiser on your own," said Lehman.
Here's something else you can do, you can contact the fundraiser directly and ask follow-up questions. This way, if you're unsure about where your money is going or how it will be used, you can ask before you donate.
MORE WAYS TO GET WFMY NEWS 2
Subscribe to our daily newsletter Let’s Get 2 It!
Download the WFMY News 2 APP from your Apple or Google Play store.
ADD THE WFMY+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching for WFMY.
Amazon Fire TV: Search for WFMY to find the free app to add to your account. You can also add the app directly to your Fire TV through your Amazon account.