I do like to read the "go fund me" requests, but have never donated to any. I have seen that were requests for people I knew, not that that has to be the case, but I am cautious about who and what I donate to.
I have seen some pretty ridiculous "go fund me" requests. I saw one posted by an 18 year old who was trying to get donations so she and her boyfriend could get an apartment and furnish it. I did notice that no one made any donations.
I went to church with a woman who was a retired army nurse. Her family was always in need, always asking for money from her and others. There are a whole bunch of descendants in her family that had their hand in her pocket. When she died, she wanted to be buried with the rest of her family in South Carolina. When she was dying, her insurance did not get paid, so funeral costs were on the family. They set up a go fund me account to ask for money to send her to South Carolina, and did not get near enough money to cover that. My daughter was going to donate and I suggested to her that the money would not go for her intentions, IMO.
I have been a giver and taken advantage of more than once in my life. I am no longer generous with people, except for my child and her family and I am most generous with my time for them.
There are people who are in need, and some of those people are always in need, because they never make wise decisions or care about their money. That is totally on them and I have no one in particular in mind. I do know people who are always willing for someone else to pay for their meal, or anything, but never offer to have a turn.
It is not in my nature to ask people for help, but you never know.