True Stories of Good People GoFundMe

Christopher Vane has always had a deep connection with animals. In 2017, he moved to Southwest Florida to be closer to his parents, and at the same time left his career in real estate because he no longer had passion for the work. He was thinking about what to do next, when a new dream came to him, suddenly clear: Chris wanted to open an animal sanctuary to give a safe and happy home to animals living in less than ideal conditions.

To her local community, Marcella Thompson is a living angel. Marcella saw that many local families were struggling to make ends meet and felt compelled to help. And so, for the past 4 years she has been helping to feed and clothe the children in her neighborhood. The impact she has had in these kids’ and families lives is profound, and has grown to encompass so much more than providing meals.

Minneapolis-area parents Ron and Shani Johnson have always taught their two young daughters to love other people and to give back. After the death of George Floyd, Ron was feeling lost. Following in her parent’s footsteps, Kamryn, Ron & Shani's oldest daughter, came up with an idea for how to help their community when it needed it most — and the results surprised everyone.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted millions of families across the United States. People are facing job loss, depleted savings, food insecurity, and so much more. Minda Brusse and Alex Iskold wanted to figure out a way to make an impact for these families, and came up with a truly innovative idea that has taken on a life of its own.

Karida Collins is a small business owner based in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to her passion for hand-dyed yarns and fibers, which she sells at her store Neighborhood Fiber Co., she is also deeply passionate about her local community. Following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the protests that erupted around the country, Karida had an idea for how to get her community involved in a big way — and the results are truly astonishing.

Ever since Ellie Laks was a young girl, she felt a deep connection with animals. Their gentleness and unconditional love has always touched her, and even helped her get through some dark times in her life. Fast-forward to 1999, Ellie was on an errand and happened to drive past a petting zoo that was keeping the animals in terrible conditions. Outraged, she set out to rescue as many of the animals as she could and give them a new home — and what happened next surprised even Ellie.