The recent wildfires in Los Angeles have sparked an outpouring of support, with over $100 million donated to victims through the crowdfunding platform, GoFundMe. However, this generosity has highlighted disparities in disaster relief efforts, as studies show that higher-income individuals often benefit more from such campaigns. The wildfires, which have affected a diverse range of Coloradans, have led to discussions about the fairness of disaster aid and the role of social networks in fundraising success.
A study examining 175,000 pandemic-related GoFundMe campaigns revealed that a mere 1% of these campaigns garnered nearly a quarter of all funds raised. In stark contrast, over 40% did not receive a single donation. This disparity is largely attributed to the difference in social networks between wealthy individuals and those less well-off. Higher-income victims are more likely to launch GoFundMe campaigns and receive larger donations, underlining the inequality in disaster relief efforts.
Jacob Remes, a researcher on disaster recovery, noted:
"The attitude was very strongly that disaster relief should restore the status quo, so if you were poor before the disaster you should stay poor and if you were rich before the disaster, you should stay rich."
This sentiment is echoed by findings from a study on government assistance after Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017. The study revealed that more funds were allocated to households that already had substantial financial resources, suggesting a regressive pattern in disaster aid distribution.
Amidst these revelations, specific campaigns have gained significant attention. One such campaign is the request for donations for Kathleen and Roger Fennel on GoFundMe. Additionally, a GoFundMe seeking support in Altadena raised over $200,000, surpassing initial expectations. Similarly, Mandy Moore's in-laws exceeded their fundraising goal of $60,000, reaching over $200,000.
Moore responded to criticisms of her family's campaign with a pointed message:
"We just lost most of our life in a fire too. Kindly F OFF. no one is forcing you to do anything."
Despite these successes, many campaigns struggle to gain traction. A "Displaced Black Families GoFundMe Directory" links to over 600 fundraisers, while similar initiatives have been established for Latino families, Filipino families, people with disabilities, and musicians.
The spreadsheet for Latino families, spearheaded by LA-based TV executive Pete Corona, actor Mishel Prada, and influencer Curly Velasquez, has grown rapidly to include over 500 names. This initiative exemplifies the collective effort to support marginalized communities in times of need.
Emily Gallagher, commenting on the role of GoFundMe in addressing societal imbalances, stated:
"I don't think GoFundMe is a great way of correcting for societal imbalances. That's really where the government needs to step in."
The media has also been abuzz with discussions on FEMA's commitment to equity in disaster relief. Fox News, Elon Musk, and the Christian right have criticized the agency's approach.
Jacob Remes further elaborated on the challenges within the current system:
"People who were working class or poor got used furniture, and the people who were rich got new furniture. Very often what we are doing when we are building back from a disaster is trying the preserve the unequal status quo."
"It's really hard to do within capitalism, because all of these structures and policies are focused on property."
"When you're trying to restore property, you end up restoring property."
The disparities illuminated by these remarks emphasize the need for systemic change in disaster relief efforts.