RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – Susan G. Komen is trying to rebound from a controversy that tarnished its image and hurt fundraising last year.
The leading breast cancer fundraiser pulled its funding from Planned Parenthood, then reversed course, resulting in the resignation of its founder and a drop in donations across the country.
The director of Komen’s Central Virginia affiliate, Linda Tiller, tells CBS 6 news the organization had a decrease in donations to their biggest event last year, The Race for the Cure.
During a luncheon at the Jefferson Hotel this afternoon, The Central Virginia affiliate announced which local organizations will receive grants to continue breast cancer education, prevention, and screening work.
Tiller says they did not fund fewer grants, but were forced to give less money to each group.
Komen handed out $580,000 in grants last year, but only $535,000 this year. Tiller says the decrease speaks to the challenges of 2012.
“Of course we’re disappointed, we wish we could fund them all because they are all valuable grants and require support from the community and serve women in our community. We are disappointed but we’re happy we could do what we did this year,” said Tiller.
But Tiller says she’s confident Komen in Central Virginia will turn things around for this 16th year of Race for the Cure, which is May 11th.
