In the days and weeks after hurricanes Helene and Milton hit the Southeast, communities sought to crowdfund repairs as conspiracy theories dogged rebuilding efforts.
Since the storms hit, the Biden administration has tried to counter it false accusations that he diverted federal aid funds to immigrants, a claim made by some Republican politicians, including former President Donald Trump.
A plethora of dubious solicitations for crowdfunding, including a viral TikTok video By a man who accused the Federal Emergency Management Agency of forcing him out of his Asheville, North Carolina, business — false allegations have been made that threaten to distract the public from those who actually need help.
Ashley Aldous Pangborn, 35, said she’s glad her friends convinced her to set up a GoFundMe campaign after 28 inches of water flooded her family’s Homosassa, Fla., home in Helene. She and her husband had just completed renovations after Hurricane Idalia caused about $130,000 worth of property damage.
For the past few weeks, the couple and their two children have been bouncing between a number of rentals they’ve booked on Vrbo, and the roughly $12,000 Pangborn raised through a $20,000 goal campaign has helped cover those costs.
Any misinformation muddies the water. Fake stories take away from the real ones.
Ashley Aldous Pangborn, Homosassa, Fla.
Money has been an important lifeline as the family waits for more government aid to arrive. “It gives us some kind of security that we can get to next month without really knowing what’s going on with us,” Pangborn said.
Still, he worries the lies could hinder what is expected to be a long recovery process for his family and the government responsible.
“Any misinformation muddies the water. “Fake stories take away from the real thing,” Pangborn said. Conspiracy theories involving FEMA in particular “will limit the people they can help,” he said. “I’m afraid things like this will continue to fuel the flames of mistrust and put FEMA workers at risk.”
A GoFundMe spokesperson said the popular crowdfunding platform’s trust and security team was working “around the clock” to verify requests for help related to Helene and Milton. He also founded a company own relief fund and assures users that its verification process is sound.
GoFundMe Hurricane Helene Relief Center thousands of fundraiser features that it identifies as authentic. The spokesperson said it covers a variety of emergencies, “including temporary shelter, essential items such as food and diapers, and long-term reconstruction.” Since Helene made landfall, nearly 500,000 donors have raised more than $65 million on the platform.
But as more time passes, communities still struggling with severe storm damage are increasingly concerned that they will be ignored.
In recent weeks, conspiracy theories have been drawing some of the biggest headlines since the hurricane — from the lawsuits Threats of violence against FEMA employees for fantastic claims That the Biden administration is controlling the weather — as public attention is drawn to ground-level reconstruction efforts.
Small businesses in North Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountains are pushing it let visitors know they are open for businessand artists and musicians In Asheville’s creative heartland, many are gearing up for a long-awaited recovery.
Pangborn said he received the initial $750 relief payment that FEMA provides to disaster survivors. But he’s up for further recovery aid as the agency requires proof of insurance claim denials to release more funds. Even then, Pangborn said, he would have to raise his house at least a few feet to get a building permit to build within his parameters. FEMA’s 50% rule.
As Pangborn works on those next steps, he said he’s concerned about people targeting agency workers who are already “inundated” with requests from residents. He noted that many households are facing damage caused by hurricanes is getting stronger and bigger due to climate change – for the first time.
“I have to believe that everyone is doing their best,” he said, “otherwise I’m going to lose faith in humanity, and things are hard enough right now.”
While GoFundMe says it follows a thorough “due diligence” process to vet fundraisers, it encourages donors to evaluate campaigns before giving. This includes reviewing fundraiser pages for clear details, contacting organizers with questions, and scanning comments and previous donations for any potential red flags. The company added that every donation is made fully refundable when abuse is identified.
Other platforms, such as Indiegogo and the nonprofit Mightycause, are also hosting appeals for hurricane relief. Some people who apply for crowdfunding are looking to finance repairs that federal money can’t cover soon or at all, many households outside of FEMA-designated disaster areas have suffered damage, and the Small Business Administration’s disaster fund has low-interest loans. run out of moneyalthough the agency encourages applicants to continue applying.
Meanwhile, Pangborn worries about neighbors who don’t have the resources or digital literacy to raise money online.
“I live in an area with a lot of elderly people. “Not everyone knows how to use a computer,” he said. “Your whole life gets turned upside down and there are expenses you don’t even know you have to pay.”