When Charity Goes Viral

Sometimes good things happen! Other times …

Lots of people made fun of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge back in 2014 but WHO’S LAUGHING NOW:

An international collaboration of researchers announced last week they had newly identified a gene that appears to contribute to ALS — a discovery that could lead to new treatments for the devastating neurodegenerative disease.

But perhaps more remarkable is this: That global research was made possible with just a $1 million grant from the more than $220 million total raised by the mega-viral ALS ice bucket challenge in 2014. That grant allowed the Project MinE research team to secure even more money for its global gene sequencing effort to better understand amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Pleasing development, right? But the ALS Association was prepared for the influx of donations. (At least somewhat: “The money came in so fast that ALS Association CEO Barbara Newhouse was compelled to send letters to three major charity ratings organizations asking them not to penalize ALS for having so much cash on hand.”) Others, often individuals, are less well-situated and, when an unexpected deluge hits, it can feel like a tidal wave.

Remember the story of Fred Barley, the homeless teenager in Georgia who biked to six hours to college and set up a tent, before he was stopped by police? The cops took him to a motel and paid for him to stay two nights. (Many people were just relieved the boy wasn’t shot.) Then a GoFundMe set up on his behalf by local mom Casey Blaney rallied the Internet.

She insisted on paying up front for Barley to stay at the hotel until his dorm room was ready for move-in July 18 and set up a GoFundMe account, initially aiming to raise $1,000 to help Barley with a few essentials. But once the story hit the media, the contributions quickly shot up tens of thousands of dollars in just days (and is now closed down after raising nearly $185,000).

Meanwhile, the two focused on job hunting and Barley soon landed an opportunity at DB’s Pizzeria in Barnesville as a dishwasher and pizza maker-in-training.

ABC TV’s write-up gushes that the story proves “proves good things are still happening and miracles do exist.”

Sure! Except the story took a darker turn, because very often that’s what happens when there’s six figures and human beings involved. Blaney, the local mom who had stepped in to help Barley, became disillusioned and tried to freeze the funds.

Casey Blaney started a GoFundMe campaign last month to help pay for the young man’s education — but then posted an update that she had asked for the campaign to be reviewed after having doubts about Barley’s story.

The pair had issues over how the funds should be handled and Barley posted an update on Facebook on Monday saying the dispute had been resolved and that Blaney was no longer involved in the matter.

Debbie Adamson, the owner of DB’s Pizzeria who gave Barley a job, revealed to Daily Mail Online that the dispute was sparked after Blaney questioned Barley’s integrity because ‘he said and did things that any 19-year-old kid would do.’ … Meanwhile, Barley has moved into his dorm room and is laying low until classes start next week.

‘He went into hiding because the media would not leave him alone,’ Adamson said.

It’s cool now. Blaney’s in Hawaii with her family and Barley’s about to start school, where I’m sure no one will be trying to separate him from his newfound, well-publicized wealth.

Maybe what America needs is a non-profit org that can step in and help people like lottery winners and recipients of unanticipated GoFundMe largess — like those three Junior Olympian sisters!—handle their bounty so that their stories keep their happy endings and don’t turn into something out of Chaucer.

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