{
  "datasetId": "creator-led-crowdfunding-campaigns-2026",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "title": "Creator-Led Individual and Family Crowdfunding Campaigns",
  "description": "A bounded source-backed reference to public crowdfunding campaigns in which a documented creator organized or amplified support for an identifiable individual or family. Amounts are dated campaign or reporting snapshots, not creator donations or verified spending totals.",
  "published": "2026-09-22",
  "reviewedAt": "2026-09-22",
  "methodology": {
    "qualification": "Each record requires an identifiable individual or family, an explicit creator role, an originating campaign or strong original record, a source-backed purpose and dated amount, and an honest account of follow-up limits.",
    "ordering": "Creator display name, then campaign title, alphabetically.",
    "amountRule": "Amounts preserve the currency and source precision. Dated campaign snapshots, independent reporting snapshots, and presentation milestones remain distinct. No cross-campaign total is calculated.",
    "scope": "Maximum two campaigns per creator in this edition. Joint activity is counted once. This is a selected reference, not a complete history of creator-led crowdfunding."
  },
  "campaigns": [
    {
      "id": "campaign-jimmy-darts-danny-family",
      "creator": "Jimmy Darts",
      "creatorAliases": [],
      "canonicalCreatorId": "mn-internet-personality-jimmy-darts",
      "creatorRole": "Organizer",
      "roleClass": "organizer",
      "campaign": "Help Danny and his family fight brain cancer and eviction",
      "recipientDisplay": "Danny and Katherine Caputi's family",
      "platform": "GoFundMe",
      "campaignDate": "2026-02-18",
      "amountDisplay": "$761,920 displayed at the September 20, 2026 retained review",
      "amountCurrency": "USD",
      "amountValue": 761920,
      "amountType": "Public campaign snapshot",
      "amountAsOf": "2026-09-20",
      "purpose": "Urgent brain-cancer treatment costs and housing stability while the family faced eviction.",
      "documentedFollowUp": "The public campaign exceeded its displayed $750,000 goal.",
      "limitations": "The campaign total does not establish how every dollar was used or a completed long-term medical or housing outcome. The live total can change.",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-danny-and-his-family-fight-brain-cancer-and-eviction",
      "sourcePublisher": "GoFundMe",
      "sourceClass": "PUBLIC CAMPAIGN RECORD",
      "internalUrl": "/minnesota/profiles/jimmy-darts/"
    },
    {
      "id": "campaign-jimmy-darts-stephanie",
      "creator": "Jimmy Darts",
      "creatorAliases": [],
      "canonicalCreatorId": "mn-internet-personality-jimmy-darts",
      "creatorRole": "Organizer",
      "roleClass": "organizer",
      "campaign": "Help Stephanie With Bills & Send Her Son to Rehab",
      "recipientDisplay": "Stephanie B. and her family",
      "platform": "GoFundMe",
      "campaignDate": "2025-11-08",
      "amountDisplay": "$16,740 displayed at the September 22, 2026 review",
      "amountCurrency": "USD",
      "amountValue": 16740,
      "amountType": "Public campaign snapshot",
      "amountAsOf": "2026-09-22",
      "purpose": "Household bills and a stated goal of rehabilitation support for Stephanie's son.",
      "documentedFollowUp": "The public campaign documents donations toward the stated bills-and-rehabilitation purpose.",
      "limitations": "No later rehabilitation outcome is claimed. The live total can change.",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-stephanie-send-her-son-to-rehab",
      "sourcePublisher": "GoFundMe",
      "sourceClass": "PUBLIC CAMPAIGN RECORD",
      "internalUrl": "/minnesota/profiles/jimmy-darts/"
    },
    {
      "id": "campaign-josh-liljenquist-azeza-gigi",
      "creator": "Josh Liljenquist",
      "creatorAliases": [
        "Joshlilj"
      ],
      "canonicalCreatorId": "https://joshliljenquist.com/#person",
      "creatorRole": "Organizer and storyteller",
      "roleClass": "organizer",
      "campaign": "Comfort and Care for Gigi's Final Days",
      "recipientDisplay": "Azeza and Gigi's family",
      "platform": "GoFundMe",
      "campaignDate": "2026-02-19",
      "amountDisplay": "More than $600,000 reported April 25, 2026",
      "amountCurrency": "USD",
      "amountValue": 600000,
      "amountValueQualifier": "more_than",
      "amountType": "Independent reporting snapshot",
      "amountAsOf": "2026-04-25",
      "purpose": "Care-related expenses, household bills, accessibility needs and housing pressure during a serious medical crisis.",
      "documentedFollowUp": "A separate first-party record documents a $590,210 presentation milestone dated March 31, 2026.",
      "limitations": "The sources do not establish a completed accessible-van purchase, a completed home purchase or modification, every expenditure, or a long-term housing outcome.",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/04/24/st-paul-bans-then-rescinds-ban-on-kindness-influencer-josh-liljenquist",
      "campaignUrl": "https://www.gofundme.com/f/comfort-and-care-for-gigis-final-days",
      "sourcePublisher": "MPR News and GoFundMe",
      "sourceClass": "INDEPENDENT REPORTING + PUBLIC CAMPAIGN RECORD",
      "internalUrl": "/impact-azeza-gigi"
    },
    {
      "id": "campaign-josh-liljenquist-thomas-bever",
      "creator": "Josh Liljenquist",
      "creatorAliases": [
        "Joshlilj"
      ],
      "canonicalCreatorId": "https://joshliljenquist.com/#person",
      "creatorRole": "Organizer and storyteller",
      "roleClass": "organizer",
      "campaign": "He Helped Save Lives. Now Let's Help His Family",
      "recipientDisplay": "Thomas Bever and his family",
      "platform": "GoFundMe",
      "campaignDate": "2026-05-20",
      "amountDisplay": "$30,205 displayed at the September 22, 2026 review",
      "amountCurrency": "USD",
      "amountValue": 30205,
      "amountType": "Public campaign snapshot",
      "amountAsOf": "2026-09-22",
      "purpose": "Basic needs, housing stability, groceries, bills, medical-related expenses and transportation.",
      "documentedFollowUp": "Alpha News reported more than $22,000 from more than 600 donors after seven days; a separate later first-party record shows a $25,000 presentation milestone.",
      "limitations": "This is not a six-figure campaign. The sources do not establish Josh's personal contribution or a completed medical, pension, housing or long-term financial outcome.",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.gofundme.com/f/he-helped-save-lives-now-lets-help-his-family",
      "supportingSourceUrl": "https://alphanews.org/minnesota-influencer-raises-money-for-injured-st-paul-firefighter-featured-in-alpha-news-report/",
      "sourcePublisher": "GoFundMe and Alpha News",
      "sourceClass": "PUBLIC CAMPAIGN RECORD + INDEPENDENT REPORTING",
      "internalUrl": "/impact-tom-injured-firefighter"
    },
    {
      "id": "campaign-kalina-silverman-walt-butler",
      "creator": "Kalina Silverman",
      "creatorAliases": [
        "Big Talk"
      ],
      "canonicalCreatorId": null,
      "creatorRole": "Interviewer, storyteller and campaign amplifier",
      "roleClass": "amplifier",
      "campaign": "Help Walt get back on his feet after the Devastating Fire",
      "recipientDisplay": "Walt Butler",
      "platform": "GoFundMe",
      "campaignDate": "2025-01-08",
      "amountDisplay": "$913,576 displayed at the September 22, 2026 review",
      "amountCurrency": "USD",
      "amountValue": 913576,
      "amountType": "Public campaign snapshot",
      "amountAsOf": "2026-09-22",
      "purpose": "Temporary housing, essential belongings, rebuilding and vehicle replacement after the Eaton fire.",
      "documentedFollowUp": "The Forward reported that Silverman interviewed Walt, edited and published the video, linked the family-organized fundraiser, and that the video helped the campaign raise more than $900,000.",
      "limitations": "Silverman is not presented as the organizer. Walt's children organized the fundraiser. The campaign total does not establish completion of every rebuilding goal.",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-walt-rebuild-after-devastating-fire",
      "supportingSourceUrl": "https://forward.com/culture/730285/kalina-silverman-big-talk-interview-profile/",
      "sourcePublisher": "GoFundMe and The Forward",
      "sourceClass": "PUBLIC CAMPAIGN RECORD + INDEPENDENT REPORTING",
      "internalUrl": null
    },
    {
      "id": "campaign-sb-mowing-beth",
      "creator": "SB Mowing",
      "creatorAliases": [
        "Spencer"
      ],
      "canonicalCreatorId": null,
      "creatorRole": "Organizer and storyteller",
      "roleClass": "organizer",
      "campaign": "Help Beth Gain Accessibility and Comfort",
      "recipientDisplay": "Beth",
      "platform": "GoFundMe",
      "campaignDate": "2025-01-12",
      "amountDisplay": "$964,729 displayed at the September 22, 2026 review",
      "amountCurrency": "USD",
      "amountValue": 964729,
      "amountType": "Public campaign snapshot",
      "amountAsOf": "2026-09-22",
      "purpose": "Home accessibility work, ongoing yard maintenance and other practical needs described in the campaign.",
      "documentedFollowUp": "The public campaign documents the fundraiser and its intended accessibility work; the page does not independently certify that every listed project was completed.",
      "limitations": "The campaign total is not treated as a personal donation by SB Mowing or proof that every proposed repair or accessibility improvement was completed.",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-beth-gain-accessibility-and-comfort",
      "sourcePublisher": "GoFundMe",
      "sourceClass": "PUBLIC CAMPAIGN RECORD",
      "internalUrl": null
    },
    {
      "id": "campaign-zachery-dereniowski-donald-joseph",
      "creator": "Zachery Dereniowski",
      "creatorAliases": [
        "MDMotivator"
      ],
      "canonicalCreatorId": null,
      "creatorRole": "Organizer and storyteller",
      "roleClass": "organizer",
      "campaign": "Let's Change Donald & Joseph's Life",
      "recipientDisplay": "Donald Sawyer and his son Joseph",
      "platform": "GoFundMe",
      "campaignDate": "2023-03-25",
      "amountDisplay": "$238,815 displayed at the September 22, 2026 review",
      "amountCurrency": "USD",
      "amountValue": 238815,
      "amountType": "Public campaign snapshot",
      "amountAsOf": "2026-09-22",
      "purpose": "Housing, food, clothing and services described for Donald and Joseph.",
      "documentedFollowUp": "The public campaign exceeded its displayed $200,000 goal.",
      "limitations": "The campaign record supports the amount raised and intended uses, not proof that every housing or service goal was completed.",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.gofundme.com/f/lets-change-donald-josephs-life",
      "sourcePublisher": "GoFundMe",
      "sourceClass": "PUBLIC CAMPAIGN RECORD",
      "internalUrl": null
    }
  ]
}