Ice Bucket Challenge: Where did the money go?
Posted July 17, 2015 2:55 pm.
Last Updated July 17, 2015 7:47 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Last summer’s viral sensation, the ice bucket challenge, ripped through social media, with everyone from Sidney Crosby to Taylor Swift to Oprah taking part.
Participants were asked to make a donation to ALS charities or dump an icy cold bucket of water on themselves. Many did both.
The support was huge, with millions of dollars being raised. But where did the money go?
In Canada, donors raised $16.2 million. ALS Societies said $10 million would be invested in ALS research and $6 million would be given programs that deliver critical support to Canadians living with ALS.
In the United States, donors raised $115 million. The ALS Association said 67 per cent of the money raised – a whopping $77 million – went to research. Another 20 per cent ($23 million) went to patient and community services, and nine percent ($10 million) went to public and professional education. Just two per cent was spent on fundraising and another two per cent was spent on administration.
Click here to see a breakdown of the American spending.
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The disease affects the cells that connect the brain to the muscles, causing progressive paralysis. It is a terminal disease with no treatment, and most people usually die within 2-5 years. In 90 per cent of cases, there is no known cause or hereditary link. It can affect people of any age, sex or ethnicity, ALS Canada said.
