I experienced this as a GFM organizer for a friend who had a health crisis. We raised over $125k in 24 hours. Other people trying to raise money on GFM reached out, asking how I had done it and to please share tips. I was heartbroken and felt horrible, because I had no advice to give. Our friends have a large social network and people often gave in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars per donation. I had done nothing special. The more money you already have, the more you receive - it's true of so many systems in our country.

My friends needed the money raised. As a family, their ability (for now) to work is extremely limited/impossible and health insurance is barely helpful. But their path is now somewhat cushioned in a way that so many who need it desperately won't experience.

My best friend, her husband, and three kids lost everything in the Palisades fire (townhouse, school, community). Her townhouse was backed against the empty reservoir and went the second day. A friend wanted to set up a GoFundMe for them but initially, they were really hesitant because they were financially ok middle-class and thought it looked bad "being in the Palisade and asking for money". But after convincing them that friends would want to support them, it was set up almost right away and the goal was reached. It's basically been the only money accessible to them. My friend and I both had our really good Allstate insurance drop us a couple of years ago because we lived in high fire zones, so the only insurance option for us was really bad state insurance that really didn't insure much, and she's having a hard time accessing even that. Red Cross gave them $1000, they got $800 from somewhere else and insurance covered a week of hotel. Without GoFundMe, getting basic things like clothing, food, toys, school supplies and baby stuff, would be a real challenge right now, and that money has provided an unexpected lifeline that is helping them when nothing else is.

Rings true.

I don't want to appear critical of a great country full of wonderful people like the USA, so please read this with that in mind.

It's really strange from Australia and Europe seeing these GFM requests from the USA for things that are covered by society ("the state") in other countries. Medical expenses, bushfire wipeouts, body repatriation, etc.

This is "not normal" in other countries. And of course, as this makes clear, your results vary dramatically depending on socioeconomic status and neurotype / network size.

I reckon I have donated 9:1 to GFMs USA:elsewhere, and mostly to people I don't know but my network did.

See also the corollary Orphan Crushing Machine you can pay to keep orphans out of:
R/ Orphan Crushing Machine