Pa. couple turns to crowdfunding to start a family

PROSPECT PARK, Pa. (WPVI) -- From raising money for potato salad to starting a business, crowdfunding has become a popular way to donate to causes - both frivolous and noble.

One Delaware County family is now using the popular resource for a very special, very personal cause - they are funding a family.

After years of emotional, physical and financial strain trying to have a child of their own, the couple finally found a way to make it happen, and they are turning to this trending way of raising money to make their dream a reality.

Eric and Allison Cole seem to have it all - a great marriage, strong faith, good jobs. But there's one very big thing missing - a little one to share it with.

Like millions of couples they've spent the past five years enduring the heartache of infertility.

Eric explains, "Basically, we were told it was never going to happen the natural way."

So they turned to in vitro fertilization.

"And then you get the phone call that you are not pregnant - it's just devastation. And then to go through it again and again," says Allison.

Five years, three rounds of IVF, and tens of thousands of dollars later, the Coles were drained... emotionally, physically and financially.

Allison tells us, "We kept it private because it's just kind of embarrassing... Why can't we have kids and everyone else can?"

So they decided to adopt. But then, a new source of stress - the cost.

They range from $35,000 to $48,000, and insurance doesn't cover the cost.

That's when Allison says it clicked: why not get help funding their family?

Seems everyone is doing it, for all kinds of reasons.

One Ohio man wanted to raise $10 to make amazing potato salad, and instead he raised more than $55,000!

So the Coles set up a GoFundMe page, sharing their dream of having a baby to call their own.

"Doesn't matter where they come from, we don't care about their race, we just want to have a family," Allison said.

And their campaign is more common than you might think. Over the past four years, GoFundMe has helped raise more than $1 million for couples like the Coles.

Eric says, "There's a lot of worthy couples out there doing the same thing, and we are not suggesting that we are more worthy than they are."

They just pray that like those other success stories.

"We are beyond grateful. Beyond grateful to the people who can help," Allison said. "You are helping us make our dreams come true."

And if you want to help Eric and Allison adopt a child, visit their GoFundMe page.