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The national ALS Association and its local chapters saw a dramatic increase in donations this summer as the Ice Bucket Challenge took off around the world. 

The Minnesota ALS chapter announced Wednesday that the group will use $100,000 of those funds to end long wait times for its equipment and technology loan program.

"It has been our dream for a long time to eliminate those waiting lists, and because of the Ice Bucket 
Challenge that's exactly what we were able to do," said Jennifer Hjelle, executive director of the state chapter.

Donations will be used to buy special equipment for ALS patients like four-wheeled scooters and special eating utensils for those who can no longer grip strongly. 

The group also eliminated the waiting list for communication devices like speech amplifiers or iPads with text-to-speech applications. 

While donations have slowed down since the Ice Bucket Challenge went viral on social media during the summer, Hjelle said the group is still seeing a bump in donations. She said the board will meet at the end of the year to assess how other funds raised by the challenge could be used. 

Hjelle says that about 325 Minnesotans are living with ALS at any given time. Each week, about two new patients are diagnosed with ALS and two die as a result of the disease.

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Donations will end waiting lists for needed equipment and technology, the state ALS chapter announced.

The viral Ice Bucket Challenge fundraising campaign has meant a dramatic increase in donations for the national ALS association and its local chapters. That's left many people asking what will be done with all the money. Minnesota's ALS chapter revealed yesterday the first targets for its funds. The group says it will spend $100,000 on two programs that lend equipment to ALS patients.  MPR's Phil Picardi spoke with Jennifer Hjelle, who's executive director of the chapter.

Where the Ice Bucket Challenge money will go in Minnesota

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