( CNN ) -- The organization overseeing money raised to aid victims of the theater shooting in Aurora , Colorado , and their families responded Thursday to criticism from some victims ' relatives that their calls to help decide how to spend it were being ignored . `` Every penny collected will go to meeting the direct needs and the future needs of the victims and their families , '' said Marla Williams , the chief executive of Community First Foundation , which oversees the relief fund . At least $ 5 million has been donated to the Aurora Victims Relief Fund since it was established with the approval of Colorado Gov . John Hickenlooper to help families of the 12 killed and 58 wounded . The governor chose the Community First Foundation to oversee the relief fund . On Tuesday , Tom Teves , the father of shooting victim Alex Teves , said that `` people who were in the theater , together with those who have lost loved ones '' should be driving decisions about how the money raised is spent . At a news conference in Denver , Teves led a group he said represented 11 of the 12 people who died in the July 20 shooting . `` We 're certain that everyone who donated their hard-earned wages intended for 100 % of the donations to go directly to the victims and then each family affected would use those funds for what they most needed to help their healing process , '' Teves said . `` Unfortunately that does n't seem to be the case . '' But Williams said Thursday the foundation was trying to manage the fund `` in a way that we can account for all the money . '' She told CNN sister network HLN that it would take 30 to 45 days to determine how best to help the victims and their families . The organizations involved are committed not to take any fee from the funds , she said . The foundation is working with a community committee , the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance , also known as COVA . COVA sent checks for $ 5,000 to each of the 70 victims ' families on August 17 , but Chantel Blunk , whose husband , Jonathan Blunk , was among the dead , said the money was not enough to help her deal with the trauma to her son and daughter , ages 2 and 4 . When she asked COVA to buy a plane ticket for her daughter Haley to travel from Reno , Nevada , to Denver , `` They told me no , '' Blunk said . `` They 're like , 'There 's no more funding and we ca n't help you . ' '' In a statement on its website , COVA said `` 100 % of donations made to COVA in the aftermath of the Aurora shooting are going directly to the victims . COVA has been able to assist victims and their families with costs such as airfare , rental cars and emergency fund situations because of the generosity of people from around the nation . '' The families demand `` a robust voice '' on the committee that decides where the money goes , Teves said . Cheryl Haggstrom , Community First Foundation executive vice president , said Tuesday that there had been a conversation about adding family representatives to the committee . Hickenlooper 's spokesman , Eric Brown , said Tuesday that his office was working to `` improve communication and the ongoing distribution of assistance . '' `` Everyone involved is trying to do the right thing in a very difficult situation , '' Brown said . `` We understand the frustration shared today by victims ' families . That 's why we have been advocating for them to have a greater voice in the process . '' Family representatives will meet with the relief funds committee on Friday , Brown said . CNN 's Alan Duke contributed to this report .
At least $ 5 million has been donated to the Aurora Victims Relief Fund . Relatives of victims say their demands on how to spend the money have been ignored . All money will go to meet the needs of the victims and families , foundation official says . Checks for $ 5,000 were sent to each of the 70 victims ' families earlier this month .