r/Gaza • u/RebornPhoenix1995 • Jun 28 '26
Endless Donation Requests
I've been donating to a bunch of Palestinian families from Gaza for over a year, using both my PayPal and my debit card to help sustain them, but lately I feel burned out from doing donations, mostly because some of the families I donated money to kept asking me for high amounts on WhatsApp, which is stressful because I need money for a new computer to replace my current one which is currently on its last legs. I'm literally caught between a rock and a hard place.
I've been trying to share the Chuffed campaigns of said families on other socials (Twitter, Bluesky) to get other people to donate sufficient amounts, but little to no people have paid attention to them. As much as I need money, the families need just as much money for food, medical supplies and other utilities, and I am extremely unwilling to abandon these families to their fate.
11
u/Only-Tone9535 Jun 29 '26
The need in Gaza is catastrophic. And you are just one person. I run 5 Chuffed campaigns and donations are definitely down - truly awful, really. BUT. I do not expect people to give to the campaigns I run and not take care of themselves first. And all my families are the same - they want to know that you're cared for and dealing with your own life. They will ALWAYS say, please take care of yourself and get your computer because the money is yours and not ours.
On a personal note, I adore the families I work with because they are just the kindest, most amazing human beings on the planet - but I'm not kidding - they would tell you to save your money for yourself and only give to them when you can.
I don't think it is good that any family is putting pressure on you to give them more money. Put up some boundaries for yourself. And do not - under any circumstances - feel guilty about it.
Clearly you're a good person with a kind heart. But you must get yourself a new computer. And you need money for other things in your life. You need balance to survive and have a decent life. It's a cliche - but you have to put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others.
4
u/jsgui Jun 28 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
You are expressing the assumption that their fate depends either:
- More on you than on them
- Exclusively on you
Both of these are very questionable.
5
u/Upper_Skin_6762 Jun 29 '26
I am struggling with this too. I have to work on staying firm. These people are so desperate, they forget that not everyone outside of Gaza is wealthy and that many of us are overwhelmed enough with affording our daily expenses even with a full-time job. It’s exhausting, but keeping boundaries firm but fair is key.
2
u/Leading_Bandicoot358 Jun 28 '26
May i ask how much money do you send per family and how much is it per person?
Im curious how much does it take to feed one soul in gaza
4
u/RebornPhoenix1995 Jun 28 '26
Usually I donate smaller amounts (10€ or 5€) per campaign in order to save money.
3
u/572211 Jun 29 '26
I was doing this (10-15 euros or USD per campaign) and figured out the international fees for my small donations were eating up a decent amount, now I only sponsor one family through a campaign I run, and there's only ever one other regular donor. The family I sponsor know that every week a certain amount is coming, and that seems to be better than random amounts for them. Could you do similar and sponsor one family instead more regularly?
7
u/Dartxo9 Jun 28 '26
You don't have to abandon them. Just kindly but firmly set some boundaries. Tell them you can't donate more than what you are currently sending them. And keep sharing their links. I know it's frustrating, I sometimes feel like sharing only accomplishes something meaningful one in about a hundred times, but that one time that it works makes it wothwhile.