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GoFundMe campaigns grow, raise nearly $600K for Kilauea eruption victims

COURTESY GOFUNDME.COM This screenshot from Kolten Wong’s GoFundMe page shows a video of Wong asking for help for those affected by Kilauea.

The number of GoFundMe campaigns related to the Kilauea volcano eruptions has multiplied to more than 100, with nearly $600,000 raised, so far, from throughout the world.

GoFundMe, based in Redwood City, Calif., said in response to the eruption, more than 6,000 donors from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and 42 countries have contributed more than $600,000 to help those impacted by the volcano eruptions and threatened by lava.

A centralized link leads to campaigns supporting those impacted by the Kilauea volcano eruption.

Among the largest campaigns, so far, are “Help Amber Rebuild,” which has raised $69,500 out of a $100,000 goal so far for a Pahoa Elementary School teacher and single mother of two who lost her home at Leilani Estates, as well as “Hawaii Natural Disasters Relief,” launched by St. Louis Cardinals baseball player Kolten Wong, which has raised more than $55,900 out of a $200,000 goal, so far.

Other campaigns are for individuals and families who lost their homes, along with a few farms, and efforts to care for the horses and other animals displaced by the Kilauea eruptions.

GoFundMe takes a 2.9 percent processing fee plus 30 cents per donation, according to spokeswoman Kate Cichy, to cover the cost of third-party credit card processors and the secure transfer of funds. She added that the campaigns are backed by a GoFundMe guarantee that will refund donations if funds are misused.

Information on Big Island based organizations, as well as the GoFundMe link, are listed at punalavaflow2018.com, a community-sourced website set up to offer resources and information related to the eruption, which includes a disclaimer that donations are at one’s own risk. A number of local businesses, including Target and Del’s Farm Supply in Hilo, are accepting gift card donations for three locally based nonprofits in Puna.

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