ALS Association Not Ready to Kick the Ice Bucket Just Yet
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iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has vastly exceeded all expectations.
When it was first launched online late last month to hike donations to combat ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, no one dreamed that people dumping ice cold water on their heads would turn into a fundraising juggernaut.
Thanks to the efforts of both ordinary folks and celebrities, The ALS Association reported Sunday that it had received $13.3 million in contributions from July 29 through August 17, according to The New York Times, that includes 260,000 new donors.
Over the comparable time in 2013, donations were $1.7 million, so the Ice Bucket Challenge, which was mocked by some early on, has happily proven its detractors wrong.
In a statement, Barbara Newhouse, president and CEO of The ALS Association, said, “Never before have we been in a better position to fuel our fight against this disease. Increased awareness and unprecedented financial support will enable us to think outside the box. We will be able to strategize about efforts in ways that previously would not have been possible, all while we work to fulfill and enhance our existing mission priorities nationwide.”
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