The weirdest GoFundMe page appeals

FROM a plea for help to fix a busted toilet after a New Year’s eve party got out of hand, to an appeal for breast implants - these are the craziest GoFundMe cries for help that we’ve been funding.

A RAUCOUS New Year’s party resulting in a busted toilet is among the many quirky charities Queenslanders have been donating to on the fundraising platform GoFundMe.

Queensland is the third most giving state in Australia, donating more than $23.4 million to charities since GoFundMe launched in Australia in 2016.

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The platform has been widely used to help people in crisis – whether they require emergency treatment, funds for natural disasters or to help families with sudden grief, but some use it to raise funds for less urgent matters.

Josh Lyons raised $235 on GoFundMe to raise funds to fix his toilet which was damaged at a 'lit' New Year’s party. Picture: AAP/David Clark

Josh Lyons used the fundraiser to receive payment from his mates after a wild party resulted in a broken toilet at his father’s house.

“I threw a lit New Year’s party and some d---head broke the side of me toilet open,” he wrote on the GoFundMe page.

“Help undo the injustice. Start 2018 right.”

The 23-year-old Brisbane resident raised $235 out of a $150 goal, but remains suspicious as to how the toilet was damaged in the first place.

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“As far as we could tell, the culprit was a large scented candle that was resting on a shelf above the toilet. Someone had knocked it in and the glass case had shattered the porcelain. Although, it could have been a clever attempt to cover up the truth, we may never know,” he speculated.

“I actually got a lot of sympathy from the people at the party, a lot of them offered to shoot me some money to pay for it, especially once we figured out the culprit wasn’t going to,” he said.

“I figured the GoFundMe was just a good way of wrangling the generosity of my friends.”

GoFundMe is a digital platform where anyone can easily donate funds to matters they deem important, but the platform is littered with users funding for personal luxuries such as vacations, breast jobs and other cosmetic surgery, and replacing technology. In the top 25 locations of donors in Australia, five are from Queensland: Brisbane, Nerang, Brinsmead, Caloundra West and Burleigh Waters.

The state fundraising manager at St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland Richard Langford said that Australia was becoming an increasingly more giving country and donations for charitable groups have skyrocketed.

“In terms of charitable organisations, we’ve seen that in 2015-16 something like 14.9 million Australian adults gave to charities, which is 80 per cent of the population. That’s actually down from 87 per cent of the population 10 years prior, but the amount of money donated has significantly increased by around about, I think, $3 billion – up to $12.5 billion for charities and not-for-profit organisations,” he said.

Mr Langford said that while GoFundMe and charitable organisations such as Vinnies both raise funds, there is a clear distinction between the two, and they offer different types of donations.

“GoFundMe and platforms like that are raising money for individuals, whereas charities raise money for programs to then support individuals,” he said.

He said while it is excellent that Australians were giving to causes, there needed to be a level of trust when donating money.

“GoFundMe has its own unique niche within the society, but I think with giving there needs to be a high level of trust and transparency around people’s giving,” he said.

Mr Langford said the areas Australians continuously donate to are education, research, health and social services.

QUIRKIEST GOFUNDME PAGE APPEALS

1 Get Josh a new toilet after New Year’s party.

2 Scam victim who lost $1000 worth of flight money, called their page “Help me I’m dumb”.

3 Young entrepreneur at primary school raising money to start business selling toys.

4 Raising funds for burger and chips that fell on the ground.

5 Funding for new computer to play games in exchange for a cake recipe.

6 Funding for a new laptop after previous one was stolen (more than $2000) raised.

7 New television to play the online game Fortnite as existing TV has poor definition.

8 “Help my boyfriend holiday with me around Europe.”

9 Raising funds to purchase Kylie Jenner cosmetic collection.

10 “Help me get a boob job.”