Happy National Volunteer Week! From April 15 to April 21, we are honoring our volunteers and all that they make possible. Today, we celebrate those who donate their time and talents to our office!

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As one of the most impactful volunteer-driven organizations in the world, JDRF depends on volunteer passion to drive our mission – and talent to keep us going.

Stevi Lukacz is an Eastern PA chapter volunteer who graciously donates so much of her time and many talents to our office every week. Office volunteers are crucial to the success of not only our chapter but the entire organization and its mission to create a world without type 1 diabetes (T1D). Stevi is such an asset to our team, and we are incredibly grateful for what she and all of our office volunteers have done and continue to do for the T1D community.

Read below to find out what volunteering for JDRF means to Stevi, who was diagnosed with T1D just a few years ago.

Why did you decide to volunteer for JDRF?

So before 2015, JDRF was just the shoes on the wall in the grocery store and gas stations. Then, during my sophomore year of college, my health wasn’t great and no one knew what was going on. Turns out I had T1D and went into DKA [diabetic ketoacidosis] because I didn’t know it. That’s when those shoes on the walls started to mean a lot more to me. After being diagnosed, I used social media as an outlet to educate myself and others, which is what lead me to JDRF through their T1DLooksLikeMe campaign. It made me feel like I wasn’t alone in as a T1D and that having an autoimmune disease didn’t mean I had to stop living life to the fullest.

I was studying Sport Management and Marketing in college, and I worked with many different nonprofit organizations through projects in my classes. Then I graduated from college and interned in the sports industry, but I wasn’t in love with it and couldn’t see myself making a career out of it. I knew I loved working with nonprofits and educating others about T1D, so I researched how I could get involved with T1D organizations, which led me to JDRF and the volunteer program. I volunteer because JDRF is an organization that helps improve my life and [the lives of] so many others.

What is your favorite part of volunteering for JDRF?

My favorite thing about volunteering with JDRF is being surround by others that have the same passion to educate, fundraise, and advocate for T1D. This community is strong and supportive, and it makes me smile to be able help with everything that JDRF does.

I volunteer because JDRF is an organization that helps improve my life and [the lives of] so many others.

What aspect of volunteering excites you the most?

I just started volunteering in January of 2018, but I feel like I’ve gotten to do so much already. What I love most is fundraising events, and the one I have been able to help with so far is the Gala. I get to help with all the prep work and can’t wait for April 21 to see it all come together and raise money towards research which ultimately means a cure.

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Interested in lending a hand at our Eastern PA office? As a JDRF volunteer, you’ll join a community of people who care passionately about JDRF’s vision and are willing to do the work to help us make it a reality. We invite you to sign up to volunteer from the web or contact philadelphia@jdrf.org for more information. From office support to event planning, your talents can make a huge difference.