As I've made more friends in the Creative space, I've seen more and more Creatives rely on GoFundMe for medical issues.
Heart attacks, terrible burns, strokes, even pets' medical care have resulted in dozens of GoFundMe campaigns that I know of personally, and I'm still a newbie to the Creative space.
And when I see them I am really torn...
1) On one hand, I really like these people. Their minds work in wondrous ways, they draw and paint and write and create music that in ways small and large make the world a better place. They are following their dreams and pursuing their passions. And some of these medical scares are really crazy, out-of-left field types of things that catch us all by surprise. The Creative community is strong and folks generally help each other. And it sucks that anyone has to resort to crowdfunding to financially survive a health issue in the first place. I feel horribly for them.
2) On the other hand, is it responsible to voluntarily put yourself in such a vulnerable position, especially considering the tenuous state of health care in the US? These folks are either freelancers or contract workers for third parties; either way, they aren't eligible for employer health care plans. So then they have to look at premiums on marketplace/individual polices, and we all know how much that varies from state to state. In many states, there simply is no Medicaid eligibility if the person isn't a child, pregnant, elderly, a caretaker, or disabled. Add to that, many Creatives are just making $20,000 or $30,000 a year, or less, so frequently something has to give on the monthly budget. Would it be more responsible to go find a day job with benefits, and just do the Creative thing part-time while you build a nest egg? (exactly what I am doing right now)
I have given to some and not given to others. It mostly depends on how our budget is looking at the time, although I obviously look at how close I am to the person and their specific situation.
I admit the campaign that bothered me the most was a GoFundMe for $7500 for a musician's dog who had severe medical issues. It was 100% legit, but I just feel you should be able to pay for your own animal's care, even in an emergency situation, or else not own an animal.
Any thoughts?