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<div>I am Jeff Metcalf. My son, <strong>Austin Metcalf, was tragically stabbed today at a school track meet</strong>. They were not able to save him. He was a bright young man with a great future ahead of him. He was a leader of men. His smile would light up the room. His passion for football was unbelievable. Voted team MVP this past season and carried a 4.0 GPA. He was looking forward to taking his game to the next level. His commitment, dedication, leadership, and sheer grit made him rise to the level of success that he desired. His twin brother, Hunter, played beside him. We will all remember him for the way he impacted others' lives. I love you forever, son. It's not goodbye, it's see you later. God will take care of us till we meet again. RIP. Love, Dad

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Honoring Austin Metcalf: Help His Family Heal

<div>For millions of Americans, one unexpected crisis—such as a lost job, an unexpected medical bill, or a broken-down car—spells disaster. Roughly <a href="https://institute.bankofamerica.com/content/dam/economic-insights/paycheck-to-paycheck-lower-income-households.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">45</a>%<a href="https://institute.bankofamerica.com/content/dam/economic-insights/paycheck-to-paycheck-lower-income-households.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">of Americans live paycheck to paycheck</a>, and more than a quarter <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/banking/savings/emergency-savings-report/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">have no emergency savings</a>. In these circumstances, even a small amount of flexible financial support can determine whether a family weathers the storm or falls into deeper hardship.
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<div>Launched in 2020, the Essentials Fund was created to support Americans asking for help on the GoFundMe platform with a one-time emergency cash grant made as a surprise donation to their fundraiser.
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<div>Grantees of the Essentials Fund are most often individuals who, through no fault of their own, have experienced an unexpected crisis and are suddenly unable to cover critical expenses like food, housing, or utilities.
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<div><a href="https://www.gofundme.org/blog/francescos-story-essentials-fund-grantee/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Read one grantees story</a> or learn about the <a href="https://www.gofundme.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/GoFundMe.org_Essentials_Fund_FY27.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fund's past impact</a>.
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<div>To date, the Essentials Fund has raised over $3 million and provided direct support to more than 7,500 individuals and households in need.
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<div><strong>Why donate? </strong>
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<div>Via this Fund, GoFundMe.org provides swift support directly to people asking for help—almost dollar for dollar.* Donations to this fund are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by U.S. law. We’ll send you a receipt upon donation completion and keep you updated on the impact of your donation.
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<div><strong>Donate with confidence</strong>
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<div>The GoFundMe Giving Guarantee provides a full refund for up to a year in the rare case something isn't right.
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<div><strong>Learn more</strong>
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<div>For more information, <a href="https://www.gofundme.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/GoFundMe-Essentials-Fund-2026.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">click here to review a one-pager</a> about this fund's past impact.
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<div><em>To donate via DAF, please select the DAF Pay option as the payment method once you click “donate now” on this page. If you would like to donate to this Fund via stock, ACH/wire, crypto, check, or by Private Foundation please visit our offline donations page and we will add your donation to this fund as an offline donation so that your contribution is recognized on this Fund page.</em>
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<div><em>GoFundMe.org is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 81-2279757) that works to swiftly mobilize donations raised to support individuals and communities impacted by crises, natural disasters, and social inequalities. We accept tax-deductible donations from donors into funds created for a specific philanthropic purpose. From these funds, we issue grants to charitable classes of individuals, nonprofit organizations, and charitable projects.</em>
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<div><em>Donations to this fund are tax-deductible to the extent permissible by U.S. law. Money will be given to verified charitable needs at the discretion of GoFundMe.org.</em>
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<div><em>*A 2.9% + $0.30 transaction fee is automatically deducted from each donation.</em>
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Joshua Williams

Joshua Williams

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Honoring Austin Metcalf: Help His Family Heal

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