As 9/11 Fades From Memory, Charities That Help Suffer

Fifteen years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, local military families face deployments to Afghanistan and dangers of war while organizations that help veterans, whose population here has boomed, face higher demand for services.

Meanwhile, leaders say the fundraising power of 9/11 has diminished, leaving those charities to tighten their belts.

"The need is going to continue to be there to provide support for the men and women who left the military," said Terrance McWilliams, who heads military programs for the El Pomar Foundation in Colorado Springs. "The challenge is after 15 years, the country has kind of grown weary over this long-term conflict with no end in sight."