Storytelling That Drives Recovery

When disaster strikes, the initial flood of news coverage drives an outpouring of support — but after that, survivors often face long, difficult roads to recovery. GoFundMe wanted to help by creating a sustainable way to keep real people’s stories in front of the public long enough to make a lasting difference.

Our idea: pair skilled, purpose-driven creators with GoFundMe organizers impacted by crises to produce authentic, first-person storytelling that inspires tangible action. We aimed to:

• Amplify survivor voices through emotionally resonant video interviews.

• Drive renewed donations for fundraisers stalled after initial coverage faded.

• Demonstrate a replicable model for creator-led crisis storytelling that combines empathy with measurable impact.

We partnered with Make Big Talk host Kalina Silverman and matched her with several wildfire fundraisers. She met them where they were — at burned properties, in damaged neighborhoods — asking a simple but powerful question: “What did you lose?” The resulting videos were raw, emotional, and humanizing. They quickly spread across social channels, introducing her community to Walt, Willie, Dorothy, and so many more survivors, driving millions of views and helping raise more than $2 million in donations for their immediate recovery. 

This campaign won at the 10th Annual Shorty Impact Awards, hosted in Los Angeles, CA.