A Federal Emergency Administration Company (FEMA) officer is seen as a Cal Fireplace search and rescue group seems by means of with a rescue canine for doable human stays within the particles of burned homes after an enormous wildfire in Altadena of Los Angeles County, California, on January 13, 2025. | Supply: Anadolu / Getty
Because the outdated saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished.
That adage could also be more true than it lets on on the subject of victims of the California wildfires who’ve particularly been benefiting from the slew of on-line crowdfunding efforts, significantly these on the GoFundMe web site.
MORE: Notable Black Folks Who Misplaced Their Houses To The Wildfires In California
That’s as a result of the Federal Emergency Administration Company (FEMA) – which is charged with offering assist following disasters – issued a warning of types this week about such on-line fundraisers. The cautionary recommendation carries vital implications for California wildfire victims planning to use for financial assist from the federal authorities.
“Recovering from a catastrophe is hard, and @GoFundMe may help—however do you know it’d impression FEMA help? Learn to keep away from points and maximize your help,” FEMA posted on X, previously Twitter, accompanied by an explanatory video.
“We perceive that recovering from a catastrophe is extremely difficult, and many individuals flip to sources like GoFundMe,” an unidentified FEMA official says within the video. “GoFundMe could be a good way to cowl fast bills, but it surely’s essential to know that utilizing it for sure functions may have an effect on your eligibility for FEMA help.”
Danny Robinson (R) and Sharon Beckford sift by means of the rubble of their household’s residence that was destroyed by the Eaton Fireplace on January 10, 2025, in Altadena, California. | Supply: Justin Sullivan / Getty
Briefly, FEMA coverage dictates partially that any financial assist it grants could be influenced – i.e., restricted – primarily based on how a lot cash an applicant receives from exterior fundraisers.
“In the event you obtain cash from a GoFundMe web page for one thing particular, similar to repairs, funeral bills or different assist, this will have an effect on your FEMA eligibility, however survivors ought to nonetheless apply for help and let FEMA decide if you’re eligible,” FEMA’s web site says earlier than including later: “By regulation, FEMA can’t duplicate advantages you obtain from one other supply.”
FEMA clarified its place as dozens of GoFundMe Accounts have been launched particularly to profit victims of the wildfires throughout the higher Los Angeles area.
That features these GoFundMe accounts that had been began to assist Black households from Altadena, a neighborhood wealthy with many years of African American historical past, tradition and custom that was decimated by the Eaton Fireplace.
Altadena, situated simply 13 miles northeast of Los Angeles and straight north of Pasadena, has a inhabitants that’s 18% Black, with a good portion (65%) aged 65 and older, in accordance with the U.S. Census Bureau. Per Archives, traditionally, Altadena performed a key function in the course of the Nice Migration, serving as a refuge for African Individuals fleeing the Jim Crow South within the early twentieth century. Looking for higher alternatives and a sanctuary from systemic racism, many discovered a welcoming neighborhood in Altadena, the place they established Black enclaves that grew to become cultural and creative hubs. These neighborhoods nurtured African American artists, activists, and entrepreneurs, making a tight-knit neighborhood constructed on shared experiences and mutual help.
It was decidedly in that context that GoFundMe accounts to assist these households displaced from Altadena have exploded with donations, together with one earmarked for the “underserved Black neighborhood impacted by the LA County fires” that’s raised almost $200,000 of its $5 million aim. One other GoFundMe marketing campaign created to help 83-year-old Walt Butler, a beloved and longtime neighborhood member in Altadena, was nearing $900,000, effectively exceeding its $250,000 aim. A separate spreadsheet displaying a whole lot of GoFundMe accounts to help “displaced Black households” has since gone viral and continues to draw donations.
Nevertheless, relying on the distribution of all the above funds, the beneficiaries may very well be restricted within the quantity of federal assist they’ll apply for and obtain from FEMA.
A pair seems on the charred stays of their residence burned within the Eaton Fireplace in Altadena, California, January 9, 2025. | Supply: ZOE MEYERS / Getty
These prospects may very well be significantly damning for Black candidates from Altadena, a neighborhood based out of “redlining” that denied Black households entry to housing, together with in sure areas of Altadena within the ‘60s and ‘70s.
Altadena boasts a robust homeownership price of over 70%, in accordance with Altadena Heritage, reflecting the resilience and dedication of its Black neighborhood. It additionally displays the doable lack of generational wealth collected particularly from homeownership, one thing that has traditionally evaded about 50% of Black-led households within the U.S.
However with the proliferation of GoFundMe accounts significantly for the Black victims of the Los Angeles wildfires coupled with FEMA’s warning about eligibility for federal assist primarily based on GoFundMe accounts, the displaced residents and their future in Altadena stays unclear.
SEE ALSO:
White Conservatives Falsely Tie California Wildfires To ‘DEI’ And Blame Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass
Incarcerated Firefighters Endure Harsh Circumstances On The Frontlines Of Los Angeles Wildfires
As GoFundMe Accounts Soar For Wildfire Victims, They Might Impression Eligibility For Federal Assist, FEMA Warns
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