SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Update:
A Sacramento-based non-profit's fundraiser that raised nearly $30,000 for a Ukrainian children's hospital has been reactivated.
On Wednesday at about 4:45 p.m. a GoFundMe spokesperson sent ABC10 the following statement:
Through continued work with the organizers, the fundraiser has been cleared from review at this time. It is live on the platform and able to accept donations. We will continue to work with the organizers to ensure funds are made available as quickly and safely as possible.
Original story:
A Sacramento-based non-profit had raised nearly $30,000 for a Ukrainian children's hospital before GoFundMe removed the page.
Vlad Skots, who is from Ukraine, is the chairman and co-founder of Ukrainian American House, which is a non-profit organization based in Rancho Cordova focused on forming connections between Ukraine and the U.S.
Skots says his parents and five brothers are still in Ukraine.
Okhmatdyt, Ukraine's largest children's hospital, reached out to Skots for his organization's support at the start of the war in Ukraine.
"The hospital is currently home to more than 500 children, many of whom remain because they may not survive the evacuation journey or are in need of daily medicine and treatment," Skots wrote in a statement. "My heart was touched and I wanted to do everything in my power to help them."
In February, the Sacramento-based non-profit decided to create a GoFundMe to raise money for the children's hospital.
With the help of donors across the Greater Sacramento region, by late March, the organization had raised over $30,000.
Skots says they had plans of donating 100% of those proceeds to "supply a hospital that is running scarcely low on medical supplies, food, water, and basic necessities."
However, on Mar. 29, the non-profit received an email from GoFundMe stating their fundraiser was removed because the "purpose of the fundraiser and/or the plan to distribute the funds did not comply with applicable laws and regulations."
The email UA House received from GoFundMe states that fundraising for "any war effort support" or "travel to support the military, territorial defense, or propaganda efforts" is not allowed.
"We are appalled," Skots wrote in an email response to GoFundMe. "This is absolutely devastating for every party involved."
In a statement sent to ABC10, a GoFundMe spokesperson states:
Our Trust & Safety team is continuing to work with the fundraiser organizer and the beneficiary, Ukrainian American House, to ensure the funds raised can be delivered as intended. To protect our community, we are taking proactive measures regarding related fundraisers supporting efforts in Ukraine. GoFundMe remains committed to distributing funds as quickly as possible while balancing speed with safety to ensure the fundraiser is in compliance with GoFundMe Terms of Service.
GoFundMe says if the fundraiser is found out of compliance, all funds raised will be refunded to the donors.
