The USA Goonfund: GOONS NEED MONEY RIGHT NOW

The Something Awful Forums > Main > General Bullshit > The USA Goonfund: GOONS NEED MONEY RIGHT NOW

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

really queer Christmas posted:

Since about last November, several goons have been running something called the "Goonfund". From November to March this was done on a mostly informal basis of just connecting people with money to people in need of money. But in March, the Goonfund officially incorporated as a true non-profit corporation and is an official charity run by a couple goons, of which I am one of them.

While the thread for the fund has been located in CSPAM, we have never focused on only helping goons that post there. We have helped goons posting in GBS, DnD, Games, TGR, ADTRW, RGD, and yes CSPAM. Where you post does not matter to us!

Money for the fund has gone to help goons pay for utility bills, get their car repaired, keep their car from being repo-d, groceries, dental help, help after floods, and medication.

So why am I posting this thread? Well because we need donations to help people, but we also want to make sure people know there's a fund available that can help them in time of need if they are an American.

At the time making this post, the fund is really low on funds, we are down to about $99 in our bank account, and $232 in our Venmo account. We are really in need of new funds to help make sure things keep going. Below are some questions you may have depending on whether you need help, or would like to help. Feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer. The main CSPAM thread also has a longer Q&A section if you want to review that one, as well.

THIS FUND IS NOT ENDORSED BY THE SOMETHING AWFUL FORUMS OR ADMINS. THE ADMINS HAVE NO EXTRA INSIGHT INTO FINANCIALS, DATA COLLECTION, OR HOW THE COMMITTEE WORKS BEYOND WHAT IS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.

How do I request help?

Click here!

Please note, effective 6/3/23 - all requests will be capped at $125 due to low funds. This is an attempt to make sure everyone gets money. If your request is over this amount, we WILL keep your request active until we can fulfill it in full at a later date. This cap will be removed when our funds situation improves and any backlog is satisfied.

Who can request money?

Anyone with a SA account username and a USA residence! We are certainly willing to help out a friend of yours if they need a small amount of money, but the goal of this thread is to help the goons who post on this website (or once posted on this website) with any issues they are currently having.

Why can you only help Americans? And why can you only receive money from Americans?

Because of the way US laws and taxes work, if we send money overseas it brings a LOT more attention and can cause a lot of headaches for what is, essentially, a small charity run by a couple goons. To make it easier, we just don't take or receive money unless you reside within the United States. If you are in the UK, there is a UK goonfund you can request funds from here.

How do I get money from the fund?

Currently, we have the ability to send money via Cashapp & Vemo. We have a paypal account but whether it works is up in the air on a daily basis. We will not be able to send money via Zelle for the foreseeable future as our credit union doesn't support Zelle for business accounts.

Should I grovel and beg for a morsel of help from the community?

Absolutely not. Needing help from people is NOT a flaw of yours and isn't something you should be ashamed of. You do not need to feel bad for asking for help from this fund - you needing help is exactly why this fund is here! Our country has sadly abandoned many people who don't make 6-7 figures a year. Not having resources or family or friends able to help you is not your fault, and the fund is here specifically to be a safety net so that any goon never has to feel like they have no hope. You're not a burden for needing help.

What if I want to make a request in the thread?

We strongly discourage you from doing this. We can't stop you, but we do prefer to keep your request anonymous to keep your information safe, and also prevent any potential drama that could come up in the future.

Before I donate, do you have financials to look at?

Yes! Please see here for our May 2023 Financials.

Our only overhead currently has been government registrations, and merchant processing fees (the fees to process donations into our various accounts).

Is the Goonfund a 501c3?

Currently, no. The plan is to become one by the end of the year. We had to refile our state registration, but with that done, the only issue now is filing for the status with the IRS.

Enough questions, how do I donate?

There are several different ways you can donate - if you want to give money monthly, then that has to process through Stripe.

The first, is our one time flexible donation link: Here. This link will let you donate how every much you want and only do it once.

What if you want to donate a certain amount every month and want to pick the day it comes out of your account? Well then the following links are for you! Each one is already set to do a recurring amount out of your account once a month, the only difference between the links is the amount.

Give $5 Monthly

Give $10 Monthly

Give $20 Monthly

Give $50 Monthly

Give $75 Monthly

Give $100 Monthly

Give $250 Monthly

Want to give more monthly? Let us know and we can create a special link for you!

Can I give via paypal, venmo, or cashapp?

Sending us pure cash via Venmo/Cashapp costs us the least amount of money. But it has to be with cash from a bank. If you use a card to transfer money, then you will pay to transfer the money AND we will pay a fee to receive it. Cash only transfer will mean we will pay a small 1.9% fee (2.75% through cashapp) while you pay nothing - which is about a percent less than a stripe card "swipe".

GIVE VIA PAYPAL: LINK

GIVE VIA VENMO: LINK

GIVE VIA CASHAPP: LINK

What if I have any issues with my transaction, want to cancel my recurring donation, or otherwise need a refund?

Please email us at usgoonfund@gmail.com with any of these issues. Make sure to label the subject line appropriately so we can know what you are needing from us. Please also be as prompt as you can with your issue, as refunds will be much easier to process the sooner we know, and we may need time to process any recurring donations, so please don't email us 5 minutes before it's supposed to process.

well, this is the coolest loving thread ever

# ¿ Jun 10, 2023 02:15

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# ¿ May 14, 2024 05:16

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

vortmax posted:

Debit card and/or bank account are cheaper
Credit card is more expensive

Unless its American Express doesn't cost nothing if you pay it off every month

# ¿ Jun 17, 2023 01:14

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

Pennywise the Frown posted:

Yeah, unfortunately credit card companies charge fees like 3% or a minimum fee or something for every transaction. That's why you see "$5 minimum for credit cards" everywhere.

but that is for the seller.
Also why sales tax is the worst one. They just pushed on the buyer. It's called a sales tax for a reason, but no one argued when they told the buyer pay it for me

# ¿ Jun 17, 2023 02:30

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

Coolness Averted posted:

Yes, but remember this is a fund organized to pay people's expenses, not a product. So if we're trying to raise 250 bucks so someone can keep their roof, losing an extra few percentage points and bucks off of each donation is gonna hurt. Especially if we can get to the ideal of a bunch of regular small donations instead of fishing for big donations as emergencies come up.

That's why it's suggested to use the options with the lowest fees.

I know man. I just wanted to be angry about sales tax.

# ¿ Jun 17, 2023 23:57

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

I used to let Lowtax ban me when he wanted money.

# ¿ Jun 30, 2023 02:41

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

Coolness Averted posted:

Yeah in the US it's ridiculous how much of a class signifier teeth are. I'm glad I'm currently in a place where I could get anything taken care of in an emergency if somethingwent wrong, but everyone is so precarious that even those of us relatively comfortable are just one round of layoffs at the wrong time from needing help too.

What's wrong with your teeth?

# ¿ Jul 14, 2023 02:37

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

Coolness Averted posted:

Mine are fine enough, no problems with my bite or missing teeth, but you can definitely tell I haven't had braces or a whitening and invisiline regime. This reflects I grew up close enough to middleclass to get regular dental care but not purely cosmetic stuff.

The more well off you are besides cosmetic treatment, the more options you have to potentially save teeth or get things like natural looking fillings and convincing bridges and veneers instead of just having gaps if you ever lose teeth -not to mention saving a tooth that's had issues costs way more than just having it yanked.

My only real dental horror story is I was poor in my 20's so had to just let wisdom teeth come in. I was fortunate enough not to have anything impacted, infected, or otherwise come in wrong because I honestly wouldn't have been able to afford the treatment.

Yeah, I have some real dental horror stories too. One of my incisors didn't fall out, so I had braces for two years. Now I have two incisors on the right side and none on the left. I also decided to not go under for my wisdom teeth extraction, so I know how it feels to have a dental surgeon kneel on your chest and break a piece of your skull out.

# ¿ Jul 14, 2023 03:29

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

Coolness Averted posted:

I'm so sorry to hear that. It's utterly ridiculous we don't treat oral and vision as basic healthcare in this country, but instead added perks.

It was 1999, and i did get percs

# ¿ Jul 14, 2023 03:54

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

ScRoTo TuRbOtUrD posted:

I got mine out wayyyy later than i should have and they gave me vicodin. Didnt use. The sheer relief I got from getting them removed outweighed the pain of them sawing into my jaw.

I was a teenager and only used half the bottle. I wonder what I did with that

# ¿ Jul 16, 2023 01:12

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

blight rhino posted:

My bottom row is crowded AF, dentist asked if I wanted to correct them. I was kinda "eh" on it. I've smiled with my mouth closed since I was a kid. Not to mention a couple decades of smoking, a decade and a half of coffee. I'd like to get them fixed maybe one day, but I doubt it'll ever change how I smile.

The Navy decided to not pull my teeth in boot. But then they decided to do it on a deployment, on a ship, that was rocking. They grew in kind of perfect and it too like 20 minutes to get them all out. I wish I would of asked for them

did the surgeon put their knee on your chest? Thats always a fun time

# ¿ Jul 16, 2023 20:15

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

blight rhino posted:

Lol, nah, I got really lucky with that one. Surprisingly, for a Navy Dentist, it was actual fairly quick and easy.

But man, the horror stories about wisdom teeth suck. Had a buddy that two of his grew in completely horizontal, and that to like cut open his jaw / gums, whatever to pull them. He was asleep, at least.

I didn't do general. Got my teeth pulled while I was awake. Can still feel where they were with my tongue. :wink:

# ¿ Jul 22, 2023 06:39

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

vortmax posted:

I got an eye exam this week (covered by health insurance because I'm diabetic; I don't have vision insurance) and they want $300 for the lenses and $100+ for frames. I'm obviously going elsewhere to get cheaper new glasses, but it's outrageous what you're expected to pay.

I'm not asking for help, but it's another example of why this fund has to exist.

guess you're blind now. How is vision not covered by healthcare? You can't read it so you don't know what you signed.

# ¿ Jul 23, 2023 02:24

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

MrQwerty posted:

My Costco's eye doctor and vision center have been very good and very reasonable, poo poo the costco eye doctor using a bunch of fancy equipment that my old eye doctor didn't have is how I found out I needed prism correction after wearing glasses for 18 years.
Lenses and frames are definitely not as cheap as Zenni, but they tend to have a pretty decent selection if my picky rear end can generally find something.

the thing is, that machine that you look into with a picture of a hot air balloon, or a cottage down a dirt road does 99% of the work. The doctor is only there to check the picture of the inside of your eye to make sure you don't have glaucoma or some other bad poo poo

# ¿ Jul 23, 2023 19:30

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

MrQwerty posted:

oh yeah, very clearly. Still costs less than the old man I used to go to.

I'm still super happy that they don't have to dilatate my eyes anymore. That poo poo sucked

# ¿ Jul 23, 2023 19:34

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

Remember when transition was glass and they called it greyscaling? Also sorry for turning this into eyeglass chat

# ¿ Jul 23, 2023 19:39

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

blight rhino posted:

the Cspam thread is what shows up on google search, initially. gross. lol

that is also how I felt about cspam. gross. lol

# ¿ Jul 23, 2023 20:20

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

vortmax posted:

This is particularly relevant to me being diabetic and checking for retinal damage. There's an optional service not covered by my health insurance (for being diabetic) that takes images of my retinas to track any damage. It's gone from $20/yr to $30/yr. I think it's worth it, and I pay for it, but it shouldn't cost extra. And so far my eyes aren't showing any damage from the diabeetus which makes me happy.

Again I am extremely lucky to have insurance through the ACA (Obamacare) that covers the exam for free.

Thanks for all the suggestions to get cheaper spectacles too; I'll check them out if local sources like Success Vision Express don't work.

I am pretty sure that this isn't the point of this thread, but, yeah get your eyes checked out. I'm blind as poo poo without my glasses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woLbaFLoJI8
that corpse in the coffin, that is me

# ¿ Aug 19, 2023 02:18

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

OMGVBFLOL posted:

thanks. i figured that was the case but i wanted to be sure before i fired money into the void

for sure donate to correct Goon Fund.

# ¿ Aug 25, 2023 23:33

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

Ornery and Hornery posted:

I love this

I love goons

I love mutual aid

I love shitposting

# ¿ Sep 9, 2023 01:17

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

really queer Christmas posted:

im assuming gbs is to thank for the $500, and if so - big big thanks! We just took care of 4 people and have $150 left over!

can't argue with that

# ¿ Sep 25, 2023 00:48

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

cumpantry posted:

thank u again goons and goonfund, the day after the transfer my car insurance payment kicked in, and then just yesterday someone backed right into me

this is the things we should be doing for each other. Just help a goon out, when they need it

# ¿ Oct 28, 2023 00:43

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

Seth Pecksniff posted:

All right so apparently if you're foreign, you can donate to US charities

https://www.nonprofitissues.com/to-the-point/may-charity-accept-gifts-foreigners

However, they're not tax deductible for obvious reasons. Again, double check with the tax professional because this was the best resource I could find

that's not true, it might be tax deductible in their weird other countries

# ¿ Nov 4, 2023 03:15

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

cruft posted:

Can I donate a Target gift card?

sure. I could use one

# ¿ Mar 30, 2024 00:33

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# ¿ May 14, 2024 05:16

Mumpy Puffinz: Aug 11, 2008; Nap Ghost

you guys should probably ban me more often.

Please don't. I just moved 200 miles and took a 50% pay cut

(USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)

# ¿ May 13, 2024 01:46

The Something Awful Forums > Main > General Bullshit > The USA Goonfund: GOONS NEED MONEY RIGHT NOW