Case Study: Dan Lior raises over $71K for DeShawn’s cause with Vimeo

How one video helped raise more than $70,000 for a good cause

Dan Lior, a filmmaker, wanted to help DeShawn Willis after a pandemic-related car breakdown left him biking to landscaping jobs and struggling to fund a new truck through a GoFundMe campaign. The fundraiser had stalled, and Vimeo was the platform Lior chose to release the short film “Only in Toledo,” which aimed to tell DeShawn’s story and attract attention to the cause.

Vimeo’s Staff Pick helped amplify the film’s reach, and the video quickly gained traction across social media and news outlets. As a result, the campaign surged past its original goal, raising more than $71,000 on over 200,000 views—well above the $53,000 target—and even prompted additional offers of donations and business support.

Dan Lior

Dan Lior

Staff Picked filmmaker