What is Crystal Wilsey fundraising for on GiveSendGo and how much has she raised in total?
Executive summary
A GiveSendGo fundraiser titled “Stand With Crystal” was created to support Crystal Wilsey after she was fired from a Cinnabon location following a viral video in which she used racial slurs; the campaign’s stated purpose is to “make sure Crystal lands on her feet” and to portray her as harassed by the customers [1] [2]. Reporting shows the amount raised has been reported variously as roughly $65k, $67k, $100,697, about $100k, $120k–$126k, $134k and as high as $134,000 by Dec. 9—different outlets cite different snapshots of the same GiveSendGo page as it climbed [3] [1] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8].
1. What the GiveSendGo page says it’s raising money for
The fundraiser was launched by Tom Hennessy and presents Wilsey as a “hardworking White mom” who was allegedly “intimidated” or “harassed” by two Somali customers; its description frames the money as going to ensure she “lands on her feet” after being fired and accuses Cinnabon of siding with the customers rather than the employee [1] [2] [3].
2. Who launched the page and how it’s framed publicly
Multiple outlets identify the campaign’s creator as Tom Hennessy, a conservative social media user; the page’s language echoes grievance and “betrayal” themes and explicitly blames the customers and the franchise’s decision to fire Wilsey [2] [5] [1]. Coverage notes conservative networks and personalities amplified the fundraiser [5].
3. The trajectory of reported totals — snapshot vs. cumulative claims
News outlets report different totals at different times as donations accumulated. Early pieces cited roughly $65–67K [3] [1]. Newsweek reported $100,697 at one point [4]. Later reporting put the total into six figures: around $100k [5], then $120k–$126k [6] [7], and at least $134,000 as of Dec. 9 [8]. These differing figures appear to be sequential snapshots rather than contradictory claims about the same moment [4] [6] [7] [8].
4. Context: GiveSendGo, past incidents, and public reaction
Coverage places this fundraiser in a pattern: GiveSendGo has previously hosted campaigns supporting people criticized for racist incidents and seen large donations after viral confrontations, drawing scrutiny over the platform’s role in monetizing such episodes [4] [9]. Reaction has split: critics condemn amplification of racist rhetoric and describe the campaign as a vehicle for xenophobia; supporters frame it as helping someone they view as unfairly punished [5] [9] [1].
5. Reporting limitations and what sources do not say
Available sources document the page’s stated purpose and running totals at different times but do not provide a contemporaneous, authoritative ledger of total funds disbursed to Wilsey, nor do they confirm whether she has received the donations or how funds will be used after processing by GiveSendGo [4] [10]. Sources also do not document any formal relationship between Hennessy and Wilsey beyond his role as organizer [1] [2].
6. Competing narratives and hidden agendas to note
Mainstream outlets emphasize the video and condemn the language used; conservative amplifiers and the fundraiser’s description depict Wilsey as a victim of “cancel culture” and harassment by customers [1] [5]. Observers should note that fundraising pages framed around grievance or identity politics can mobilize ideologically aligned donors rapidly, which helps explain the large, quickly changing totals reported across outlets [5] [4].
7. Bottom line for readers
The GiveSendGo campaign’s stated purpose is to financially support Wilsey after her firing and to cast her as the aggrieved party [1]. Reporting shows the fund crossed multiple six-figure thresholds in a short window—reports cite $100,697; ~$120k–$126k; and $134,000 as of Dec. 9—but the exact current total and whether or how the money has been distributed are not confirmed in the available coverage [4] [6] [7] [8].