Fact check: Disaster survivors with a GoFundMe page can qualify for FEMA aid
The claim: FEMA won't accept an application for assistance if the disaster victim has a GoFundMe page
Devastating flash flooding in Eastern Kentucky has left at least 39 people dead and many more displaced, with an untold number of homes washed away and businesses destroyed.
The floods were caused by storms that swept through the region in late July, and recovery efforts have been ongoing, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
As flood survivors began to pick up the pieces, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced residents of five Kentucky counties could apply for individual assistance, which, according to the agency’s website, could include grants, loans and “other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.”
FEMA had, as of Aug. 15, approved more than $40 million in direct assistance to people affected by the floods, but many have also turned elsewhere for help, including the crowdfunding website GoFundMe.
Still, some social media users have warned disaster survivors against using GoFundMe to raise money, claiming it would make it impossible to get federal assistance.
“FYI: if you are a flood victim and you think it is a good idea to start a Gofundme page DO NOT DO IT!! If you have a Gofundme page FEMA will not accept an application because they consider that enough help,” reads an Aug. 1 Facebook post that has been shared 140 times.
But the claim is false.
While donations from a GoFundMe page could affect a person’s eligibility for assistance, having a GoFundMe page isn’t an automatic disqualifier.
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Paste BN reached out to the user who shared the claim for comment. In response, the user only shared a screenshot of Google search results that included a news report quoting Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear warning that GoFundMe donations “may affect your FEMA eligibility."
FEMA does not duplicate aid from other sources
By law, FEMA cannot duplicate aid people receive from another source, Johanna Strickland, a FEMA spokesperson, told Paste BN.
“If you receive money from a GoFundMe page for something specific, such as repairs, funeral expenses or other aid, this may affect your FEMA eligibility, but survivors should still apply for assistance and let FEMA determine if you are eligible,” Strickland said.
Beshear made a similar statement in early August. The governor said FEMA told him it can’t duplicate funding for specific issues like home repairs if money has been received from another source, such as a GoFundMe page, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
A GoFundMe page alone does not automatically disqualify someone from receiving FEMA assistance, said Jake Gray, the senior director of mitigation at Tidal Basin, a New York-based disaster recovery consulting firm.
“I wouldn’t say that (FEMA) wouldn’t accept it,” he said. “They would still review it and look at it for all eligibility.”
Gray, who is also a former state hazard mitigation officer for the state of Kansas, said the agency has limited money available to help people, so it tries to avoid paying for projects with other sources of funding.
“FEMA is going to want to utilize their funds for projects that don’t already have some source of funding available,” he said.
GoFundMe did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Our rating: False
Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that FEMA won't accept an application for assistance if the disaster victim has a GoFundMe page. Because FEMA cannot duplicate benefits people receive from another source, GoFundMe donations made for a specific purpose, such as home repairs, could affect eligibility for federal assistance. A GoFundMe page isn't an automatic disqualifier. A spokesperson for FEMA said disaster survivors in need of financial assistance should apply for help and let the agency determine eligibility.
Our fact-check sources:
- Jake Gray, Aug. 23, Phone interview with Paste BN
- Johanna Strickland, Aug. 5, Email exchange with Paste BN
- FEMA, July 29, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Kentucky
- FEMA, July 30, Additional Disaster Funding Approved for Kentucky Flooding
- FEMA, Aug. 17, FEMA in Kentucky as Long as Needed
- GoFundMe, accessed Aug. 2, Fundraisers for "kentucky flooding" in all locations
- Louisville Courier-Journal, Aug. 5, Eastern Kentucky flooding: Beshear says FEMA is available to help ahead of Biden visit
- Louisville Courier-Journal, Aug. 15, These are the people we lost in the Eastern Kentucky flooding
- Louisville Courier-Journal, Aug. 11, Death toll in Eastern Kentucky flood climbs; Beshear says area moving to stabilization phase
- Louisville Courier-Journal, July 29, Eastern Kentucky hit with 'devastating' flooding, Beshear says, as death toll continues to rise
- Fox Weather, Aug. 5, Kentucky flooding: FEMA warns accepting GoFundMe money may thwart government aid
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