One Year Later, Here’s How Your ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Money Was Spent

It seems like just yesterday that everyone was dousing themselves with freezing cold water in the name of ALS, but it's actually been a year since the craze began. I've often wondered how all the money raised has been spent, and if it was actually been put to good use. I'll let you be the judge...

Before we get to the facts, we need to watch my favorite video again. Remember that one time that Susan Tyler tried to take out Steve Summers with a bucket and we all laughed? This gets me every time!

Ok. Enough shenanigans, let's get back to the point.

Last summer more than 17 million people participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge,  which raised $115 million for the ALS Association. Awesome, but how was the money spent?

One year later, CNN reports that the ALS Association says about 40% of the ice bucket money has been spent or budgeted for specific purposes, and that the future plan is to pour all of the money into five main spending buckets.

• Bucket 1: Research - 67% of the money raised goes to finding a treatment or cure for ALS.
• Bucket 2: Patient and Community Services - To help provide equipment and technology to patients to help them communicate, gain mobility and more.
• Bucket 3: Public and Professional Education - Fund programs to educate the public about ALS, and to help doctors and researchers learn about the best way to fight it.
• Bucket 4: Fundraising - Money to be spent on maintaining donor support gained by the Ice Bucket Challenge.
• Bucket 5: External Processing Fees - Funds are needed to process all the credit and debit card donations.

Personally, I applaud the ALS Association for sharing this information. I think we can rest easy knowing we didn't freeze for nothing.

Now, what social media stunt can we can we do this summer to continue raising money for ALS research? Put your thinking caps on, and let us know what you come up with!