The inaugural Kind 50 list celebrates the people behind the milestone – and how help brings people closer together
(BUSINESS WIRE) -- GoFundMe today announced that its global community has surpassed $50 billion raised to help individuals and nonprofits around the world. More than 200 million people have donated through GoFundMe, and nearly 40% have given more than once, reflecting the extraordinary scale of people showing up for one another – and continuing to come back to help.
To mark the milestone, GoFundMe is introducing The Kind 50, a celebration of the internet’s kindest people. The inaugural list features 50 stories of individuals and nonprofits who saw a need, showed up, and brought others together to help. The list includes a fourth grader named Declan who biked 300 miles in one month in support of cancer research; Candace and Diana, best friends of 50 years who inspired the country with their support for one another; Lupita Nyong'o who led a fundraising challenge and awareness campaign for fibroids research; Swifties for their repeated acts of generosity online; and the Music Man Project which brought performers with disabilities from the United Kingdom to the Broadway stage in New York this fall.
"$50 billion is an incredible milestone. What inspires me most are the millions of people behind it," said Tim Cadogan, CEO of GoFundMe. "People have always been generous. Technology has made it easier to express their love and care in real time – to support a loved one through a difficult time, help a community rebuild after a disaster, or contribute to a nonprofit’s mission. During this time of rapid change, we’re innovating with tools like our smart fundraising coach to transform how people ask for help and reach others who care. As we look ahead, we are focused on harnessing new technology to help even more people help each other around the world.”
Help that reaches people – and brings communities closer together
New research commissioned by GoFundMe and conducted by YouGov highlights how widely help reaches and the happiness and connection people associate with giving:
More than one-third of Americans have either received support themselves through GoFundMe, or have a firsthand connection to someone who has.
Two-thirds (66%) of all survey respondents say they feel happier after financially supporting someone in need. Among those who’ve used GoFundMe, that jumps to more than four out of five (82%).
Nearly three-quarters (74%) of people who’ve used GoFundMe say donating to someone or an organization near them helps them feel more connected to their community, compared with 58% of all survey respondents.
Of those who have used GoFundMe, 93% are confident that giving through the platform can make a meaningful difference, nearly four out of five (77%) say that the platform makes it easier to help people and more than half (54%) say GoFundMe makes giving feel more personal than transactional.
Meet The Kind 50
From showing up for a friend in need to mobilizing entire communities, The Kind 50 celebrates people and organizations whose acts of kindness – on and off GoFundMe – made an impact over the past year and inspired others to help.
Among them is fourth-grader Declan Levy, who cycled 300 miles in one month to raise funds for the American Cancer Society in honor of his grandmother. Reflecting on the experience, he said, "At first, I wasn’t sure I could ride 300 miles, but I had a community cheering me on and helping me keep going. I wanted to help people with cancer because of my grandma. I’m proud I finished, and I hope other kids see that they can help too.”
Also recognized is British ultramarathoner William Goodge, who ran 50 marathons across all 50 U.S. states in 24 days to support Stand Up To Cancer in memory of his mother. “I can’t bring my mum back, but I can use her memory to do something good by raising funds and awareness to help others facing cancer,” said Goodge. “I hope to show people facing loss or any struggle that they can turn those emotions into something that helps others.”
Together, these stories show the internet at its best: a place where people come together for one another. By sharing them, GoFundMe hopes to inspire more people to turn kindness into action in their own communities.
Making it easier to ask for help – and to help others
The future of helping is being built today. Through innovations like the smart fundraising coach and AI-powered fundraising tools used more than 100 million times, to the launch of Giving Funds, nonprofit fundraising tools, and new ways to discover and support causes, GoFundMe is making it easier than ever for people to ask for help, inspire generosity, and strengthen their communities.
About the Research
U.S. survey findings are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 4,141 adults, of whom 2,706 were donors (having ever made a financial donation to an individual, nonprofit or charitable cause, or organization). Fieldwork was undertaken between 16th – 21st September 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).
Platform statistics, including total funds raised, number of donors, repeat-donor rate, and AI tool usage, are based on GoFundMe internal data and were not part of the YouGov survey.
About GoFundMe
GoFundMe is a community-powered fundraising platform dedicated to helping people help each other. GoFundMe combines storytelling and fundraising to make it easy for people and nonprofits to share their stories, connect with supporters, and reach their fundraising goals. GoFundMe empowers individuals and organizations to make a meaningful difference for the causes and communities that matter most to them. GoFundMe has enabled $50 billion of help for communities across the globe.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261109255455/en/
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