Helping Damon One More Time

As I stated before, the $31,000+ you all raised for Damon Fowler is now in a trust fund and will go toward his education when the time comes.

Some people (including commenters on this site and the Support Damon Facebook page) are upset by this because it means Damon can’t use the money to buy a car or other things that’ll help him transition into life away from home.

Reader Hannah set up a (separate) donation drive on Reddit to help Damon with those other things.

She adds:

This money will go directly to Damon and will be used only for buying a car. (The Fowlers are looking in the $3000-4000 range.)

Any extra will go to rent or to basic essentials like groceries, toiletries, clothes, and other items Damon doesn’t have right now.

I will provide visual proof — such as screencaps, receipts, and the like — that the money has been distributed to Damon and that it is being used for its stated purpose.

I have nothing to do with this drive (and I don’t know Hannah personally), but if you are compelled to do so, you can pitch in here.

Canadian Atheist, eh!

Um, I’m sure I was as touched as anyone by this story, but does this one kid warrant this much outreach and charity?
NotYou007

Canadian Atheist, eh! Says:

June 20th, 2011 at 4:57 pm
Um, I’m sure I was as touched as anyone by this story, but does this one kid warrant this much outreach and charity?

If people want to help him, that is their right. He cannot get to school without a car so that 30K plus is not doing him any sort of good, at all.
walter

I asked myself this very same question. especially that jealousy and envy are two sisters we all have. however, I would like to think about it as a demonstration project showing ourselves the power of organized effort and group action. I’m sure there are many more Damons out there and no support network for them.
AteoAbsurdo

//Um, I’m sure I was as touched as anyone by this story, but does this one kid warrant this much outreach and charity?//

His actions alone may not merit charity, but since they resulted in his parents kicking him out of their house, dumping his possessions on their porch, and leaving him to fend for himself at the age of 18, I think he deserves a decent bit of support. I’m 18 myself, and I’d be completely screwed if my parents did that.
myownpersonalvenus

i think you kids don’t give yourself enough credit. I think Damon and the poster above me would have found a way to make it work.
Hannah

I’m the Hannah in question.

I haven’t donated. I don’t have any money. I’m a 23-year-old college student.

I admit, I’m totally jealous of the money Damon’s getting. My parents disowned me when I was 18 and didn’t talk to me (let alone give me any money) for two years. I know what it’s like to be out on your own.

I pulled it off and Damon could, too. But it’s hard as hell (not to mention the debt incurred). If I can help one kid not have to go through what I went through, I’m going to. I would have wanted someone to do the same for me. There’s absolutely no point in putting yourself through something just to show how tough you are. If help is offered, oftentimes the most courageous thing a person can do is take it.

I hope one day we can reach all the Damons and help them, too.
Richard Wade

Damon did a brave and righteous thing, and for that he got crapped on by his parents. He’s already shown his mettle. He deserves some help. Whether or not he could actually survive without our assistance is beside the point. He has benefited us and society by his courage, and we want to show our appreciation.
gcwang

No offense to Hannah, but in every charity situation I have a little paranoid voice in my head that says, “How do I know this is real?”
Andrew

I live with Damon’s brother and he is staying on our couch at the moment while looking for a job within walking distance. He’s real, I’m real. The issue is that Damon’s brother and sister here in TX cannot provide for him and Damon currently has no way to do so without them currently. Everyone around him….me and his siblings here are contributing what we can for him, but will run out of funds for ourselves soon if he doesn’t get money independently.

It isn’t that he is the only person in a financial pinch, but more that people who have followed this story feel compelled to lend him a hand given the pivotal point in life he is at. Any hardship fresh out of high school is multiplied by all the other issues transitioning into the next stage.

I hope everyone reads this with understanding and sees that Damon is not begging but rather managing. This is his circumstance and he is taking it better than if he had no family/friends here to shelter him.
Hannah

Whatever confirmation anyone wants I’m happy to provide… I don’t know what I could possibly do? Damon has the password to the Paypal account. It’s his money, not mine. His story was reported on independently by news organizations (obviously).
Canadian Atheist, eh!

Hey y’all — yeah, just wanted to follow-up and say it’s not at all like I am/was/will be opposed to the outreach. Good golly, how rude would that be? I guess I was really just reacting to the idea that anyone would be (as the post put it) “upset” that all that charity wasn’t going to certain specific things. Perhaps it was technically a mis-characterization, but that just irked me a bit to read it.

This comment from Hannah is kind of where I’m at: “I hope one day we can reach all the Damons and help them, too.”

Anyway, no offense intended.
Paul Montgomery

I think it is amazing that Damon has gotten this much support from people and our donations really do show atheist in a positive light to the country. After reading the debates about how he should be limited in using the money and the second drive for a car, the idea came to me that knowing the kind of person he must be to have stood up to the school and community, he most likely would appreciate, more than anything, the opportunity of finding a part time job in the local area of the school he is going to, so he can earn some money that he could feel like is his own and has no strings attached as far as how he spends it. So if there are any atheist in the area of the school that would be in the position of helping him find a part time job, they could really make a difference in that area.