I always do Anonymous, too. Unlike others, I don’t want people knowing what I do with my money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also - I want the recipient to know I am thinking of/support them! Eg my daughters teacher from several years ago - now has cancer - I hope she sees my name and realizes what an impact she had on our family (such that many years later we want to help out a little bit).

Ask yourself why our impulse as a society when someone gets cancer is to give them money. That’s so messed up.

Money can help with food, supplies, expenses, lack of wages, medical costs, hotel costs, etc. I think most people would prefer money, over 1000 strangers making them a lasagna.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also - I want the recipient to know I am thinking of/support them! Eg my daughters teacher from several years ago - now has cancer - I hope she sees my name and realizes what an impact she had on our family (such that many years later we want to help out a little bit).

Ask yourself why our impulse as a society when someone gets cancer is to give them money. That’s so messed up.

This is really harsh and accusatory. PP is just trying to help! What is wrong with that? Yeah, America is messed up, but why speak to PP like this?!

95% of the time I don't personally know who I am giving to and they don't know me so a name doesn't matter at all. Nobody I know will see my name. The same goes for DonorsChoose. In the last few years I mainly to online donations to DonorsChoose classrooms over gofundme and nobody will know who I am but it's a bit more personable than anon. If I know them as an acquaintance, I might be anonymous so they dont feel indebted, and if it's a friend I want them to know it is me thinking/caring about them.

Anonymous wrote:Also - I want the recipient to know I am thinking of/support them! Eg my daughters teacher from several years ago - now has cancer - I hope she sees my name and realizes what an impact she had on our family (such that many years later we want to help out a little bit).

Ask yourself why our impulse as a society when someone gets cancer is to give them money. That’s so messed up.

It encourages others to donate.

To show you care.

I have a friend who lost her 9 yr old child to cancer. They didn’t do a Gofundme, but did have a website to keep family & friends updated on surgeries, treatments, etc. she very much appreciated people posting comments, & made her feel cared for by her friends/family & less alone.
I imagine it wouldn’t have the same impact if all of the well wishers were from “ anonymous “

On the one hand I get that being anonymous is more humble.

But there are two good reasons to leave your name that I can think of:
1.) You want the recipient or organizer to know you care.
2.) You want others in your circle to know you support/it is legitimate, which may trigger them to donate.

I get where you're coming from but agree that sometimes it is to let someone know you care. I do hide the amount I donated, if it's on option (depends on the site).

Someone I was very close to in the high school years but lost touch with had something horrific happen and I donated. It would have been odd for me to reach out directly (we were friends pre-cell phones and email), and they were inundated with people reaching out. So I donated with my name attached. When things settled down they did find me on social media and we were able to catch up, which we were both grateful for.

It can encourage people from your community/group to donate as well.

Sometimes it’s the default and people don’t u check it if they don’t have another need for privacy. It’s weird that you would ask. Have you always donated to things anonymously?

I leave my name so they know I donated and don’t think I was indifferent to their hardship

Also - I want the recipient to know I am thinking of/support them! Eg my daughters teacher from several years ago - now has cancer - I hope she sees my name and realizes what an impact she had on our family (such that many years later we want to help out a little bit).

Because they want their community to know. I have put my name on friends' Go Fund Mes. That way whoever clicks on it knows I donated, because I believe in the cause and I support it. There is social recognition that I did my part. It's a form of social currency that adds to the actual money and benefits both the donor and the recipient.

I don't really understand why people leave their name, and not as "anonymous." Is the purpose not to donate for an important cause/need, or to have the recognition?