Erik Tormoen
On Friday, June 8, the movement for George Floyd broke a GoFundMe record.
The fundraising site notched a new high mark when a campaign for Floyd’s family surpassed its original goal of $1,500,000, TMZ first reported. The “Official George Floyd Memorial Fund” stands at more than $13,600,600 at the time of publication. Meanwhile, more campaigns have sprung up to support the cause and give help to those who need it.
The Floyd family, based in Houston, Texas, has garnered the most individual donations in GoFundMe’s history, Insider recently confirmed. Some 480,000 donations have come in from people in about 140 countries.
George Floyd’s brother Philonise Floyd says that the money will go toward “funeral and burial expenses, mental and grief counseling, lodging and travel for all court proceedings, and to assist our family in the days to come as we continue to seek justice for George.” Funds will also support Floyd’s estate and his children’s care and education.
The campaign launched on May 27, two days after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes. Floyd died due to asphyxiation, according to an independent autopsy. Chauvin has since been fired, arrested, and charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. Three police officers who were present face criminal charges of aiding and abetting.
Nonprofits and other organizations fighting for racial justice are taking donations. And here are other GoFundMe campaigns that aim to bolster local communities of color and further the movement around George Floyd:
Essentials and Delivery for Stephanie Wilford
Minneapolis resident Stephanie Wilford gave a powerful interview on KSTP on June 6. In it, Wilford said that the stores where she used to shop have been destroyed. She can’t access public transportation, either, because of the shutdown. The interview left an impact on Jill Sims, who also lives in Minneapolis. Sims says she reached out to Wilford and asked for permission to launch a GoFundMe campaign, for donations supporting Wilford. The response has been overwhelming, Sims says, and she is now working with another neighbor to figure out how best to distribute the funds, which currently amount to more than $47,300. Donate here.
George Floyd Intersection of Hope
Mary Claire Francois, 18, grew up in the neighborhood where George Floyd was killed. After attending a cleanup in the area, she decided to launch a GoFundMe campaign to set up longer-term support.
As visits to the south Minneapolis neighborhood continue, the “Intersection of Hope” campaign aims to keep the memorial site sacred and to amplify the voices of the community. (South Minneapolis has long been a target of discriminatory policies, including racial covenants.)
So far, donations have gone toward tents, tables, food, water, portable toilets, and more at the bustling site on 38th Street and Chicago Avenue. Francois and her team have been in talks with local leaders to determine how best to shore up community resources. It’s part of a growing initiative Francois started with neighbor Valerie Quintana, called The Real Minneapolis. Funds now stand at more than $11,000, with a current goal of $20,000.
For Francois, it means giving back to her neighborhood. “I am the proud daughter of an interracial marriage,” she wrote in the campaign’s description, “and I can’t imagine what someone with a darker complexion endures, not to mention a black man in America.” Donate here.
Help Minneapolis Small Businesses
Small businesses in Minneapolis that have sustained property damage are trying to pay employees and rebuild. Rob Smith, a spokesperson for the Turning Point USA nonprofit, has raised money for the Lake Street Council group that assists affected small businesses, as well as for four local churches and a resident who feeds those in need, according to the GoFundMe description. The campaign has so far raised more than $120,000. Donate here.
Minority-Owned Businesses Harmed by Looting in MSP
Alek Radsan, a high school student at St. Paul Academy and Summit School, is raising money for minority-owned businesses in the Twin Cities that were damaged amid uprisings. Funds go to the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (Meda), a Minneapolis-based nonprofit. “This destruction only exacerbates the economic and societal conditions of racism,” the campaign’s description says. Radsan has now raised more than $31,000, with a goal of $40,000. Donate here.
Official Gianna Floyd Fund (George Floyd’s Child)
All money donated to this official campaign goes into a trust for the care and support of George Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter Gianna and her mother, Roxie Washington. Donations currently stand at more than $1,900,000. Donate here.
We will continue to update this article. What GoFundMe campaigns have you been supporting?
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