Why There Is Controversy Surrounding the Crowdfunding Campaigns Launched after Valencia Fire

At the last owners’ meeting, the residents of the residential complex that burned down in the Campanar neighborhood, in Valencia, warned that several crowdfunding campaigns have emerged outside of what is considered official to help those affected on an individual basis. One of them already exceeds 17,500 euros.

“The official crowdfunding campaign is that of Sergio and Violeta , who are from the Falla l’Antiga de Campanar and they promoted it for all those affected,” they stated. The promoters themselves, present at the meeting, realized that their initiative is for all the victims.

Read more about the crowdfunding campaigns launched by the people in the Campanar neighbourhood launched to help residents of the complex that burned down, and find the most important financial news of the day with our comapnion app Born2Invest.

Only the crowdfunding campaigns registered at the Valcencia City Council are oficial

They also reported that they have made their crowdfunding initiative official by registering at the Valencia City Council, and that they operate in collaboration with Valientes, a neighborhood NGO that has been helping those affected since the night of the fire.

The clarification made at the neighborhood meeting responds to the fact that, on the same fundraising platform, GoFundMe, in addition to the official campaign – which has already raised more than 114,000 euros – there are a dozen more fundraisers, with which several neighbors raise funds on an individual basis.

The most successful crowdfunding campaign is Rodrigo’s, which has already raised more than 17,500 euros. “A raging fire consumed the building where my parents, José Antonio and María Eugenia , lived for six years in the Campanar area,” he explains. “Now, they find themselves in a vulnerable situation, without a stable place to live and with the need to start over,” he added.

Another of the most fruitful, which already exceeds 15,000 euros , is the one promoted by Ammar and Sara . “We were the couple trapped on the eighth floor of the Campanar fire,” they say. His rescue in extremis, broadcast live , kept the Valencians with their hearts in their fists.

In this case, the promoters of crowdfunding affirm that they will distribute the proceeds among all those affected. “All help and donations are welcome and will be distributed among the victims in the correct way,” they explained.

The bulk, however, raise funds for specific families. This is the case of Natalie’s campaign, which already reaches 7,000 euros. “Our dear friend Berte and her boyfriend Victor suffered a devastating loss when her home in Valencia was consumed by a fire,” she said.

“They need our help to rebuild their home and put their lives back together. Every contribution, no matter its size, will make a difference and help them move forward during this difficult time,” he adds. The text is written in English, German and Spanish. Several of the campaigns highlight the nationality of those affected to raise funds in their countries of origin.

Another seven campaigns, between 1,300 and 5,300 euros raised , complete the dozen initiatives apart from those designated as official by the residents. And for this reason, the community of owners stressed in the last meeting that, if they want to help all those affected equitably, they share the direct link to Sergio and Violeta’s initiative.

First association that raises money through crowdfunding

The so-called Association of Residents Damaged by the Campanar Fire ( Ardic ) has already been established in order to “defend their interests” and bring together all the people who, whether they are owners or not, had their “residence” “effective habitual residence” in said property.

This is the entity driven, fundamentally, by the tenants who resided in the residential complex. The homeowners, who are already grouped in the community of building owners, are also finalizing their own association . The forecast is that the latter will see the light after Fallas.

The residents, for their part, stressed in a statement the need to have a space that allows them to carry out “joint”, “organized” and “for the benefit of all” action and that, in turn, allows for dialogue, “more fluid and direct” with public administrations and entities when it comes to directing “matters of interest.”

The collective was born as a non-profit association, “democratic” and “open to all neighbors” and that seeks to “defend the interest” of the people who lived there and suffered “personal or material damage from the fire”, always ” without confronting any other injured party or entity . “

Thus, he highlights the example of the owners who do not have their effective residence in the community, who “have the community of owners to defend their interests” , but who, “being very respectable, do not necessarily coincide” with theirs.

For this reason, they explain that they have formed this association, in order to also “never forget the neighbors who have left us . ” “We intend to defend our rights and rebuild our lives as quickly as possible,” they said.

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(Featured image by IStandWithIsrael via Pixabay)

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First published in EL ESPANOL. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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