By Megan Cerullo
Reporter, MoneyWatch
Financial donations on GoFundMe reflect growing U.S. concern about the rising cost of living, according to the platform’s annual analysis of fundraising campaigns.
GoFundMe said words including “work,” “home,” “food,” “bill” and “care” were among the top keywords in campaigns this year. Appeals for “monthly bills” were the second fastest-growing category on the site, behind fundraising for nonprofit groups. The trend comes as public focus on affordability has increased; a recent CBS News poll found inflation and the economy are Americans’ top national concerns.
In the U.S., campaigns requesting help for necessities such as rent, groceries, housing and fuel rose 17% in 2025, GoFundMe reported. CEO Tim Cadogan said the platform has seen a steady increase in these types of fundraisers in recent years. “For example, we saw people say they were behind on the month’s rent and were looking for friends and family to help them get through the next month or two,” Cadogan told CBS News, noting that higher living costs have pushed people to ask their networks for short-term support.
The platform also saw spikes tied to the 43-day U.S. government shutdown, when the closure of federal agencies halted distribution of SNAP food benefits; related campaigns increased sixfold as people sought emergency assistance.
Individual stories illustrate the trend. Iesha Shepard, 34, a New Orleans native and single mother of two, launched a GoFundMe after falling behind on rent when health problems prevented her from working a part-time hotel job. Shepard, who has chronic heart failure following a 2019 shooting, said she started the campaign after receiving an eviction notice. “I don’t want to be homeless with my children around the holiday time,” she told the Associated Press.
Edited by Alain Sherter. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
