When Angelo A. Smith set up a GoFundMe page about a week ago to raise $800 for applications to various physician assistant programs, he doubted that his crowdfunding effort would pay off.
“I was highly skeptical of the help that I would receive,” Smith, who graduated recently with a bachelor’s degree in public health from the University of Toledo, told Diverse.
“When you post about things on Facebook/Instagram, people always seem to verbally support your goals and endeavors,” Smith said. “However, you never really know if that can turn into monetary support.”
But after Smith got his first $25 contribution, his skepticism gave way to hope.
“I instantly began to cry. I was filled with tears of joy,” Smith recalled. “Even a donation so little meant so much to me.”
Soon, other donations began to stream in—including donations from complete strangers.
“I remember receiving a random message on Facebook from a stranger, asking about my campaign,” Smith said. “She’d seen how much I had raised so far and said she would contribute $385 to the campaign.
