From July 11 to 13, Washington, D.C., hosted over 400 JDRF supporters as JDRF held its annual One Conference—a convening of a global team of volunteers and staff—to renew our purpose, strengthen our collective ability to advance our vision and mission, and nurture the critical staff/volunteer partnership.

JDRF recognizes that volunteers and staff are not only fundraisers but also ambassadors, advocates, and spokespeople who carry a compelling connection to our cause. This year’s One Conference programs and education focused on specific areas that support chapter leaders as they advocate for JDRF fundraising, volunteer engagement, and policy. We are extremely pleased to share with you some of the exciting information, activities, and impact from the 2018 JDRF One Conference:

• Fiscal year 2018 was a productive year for JDRF, with total fundraising revenue up 14 percent over last year (passing $200 million dollars!). This has allowed for a more than 20-percent increase in funds to mission compared to just two years ago. JDRF staff and volunteers have been able to reallocate their time and talents to areas that have the greatest impact on our mission. And because JDRF is focused on efficiency and effectiveness, the dollars devoted toward type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and our mission are growing even faster.

• For every $1 that JDRF spends on T1D research, the organization helps attract others who directly spend 2.5 times that amount. You can learn more about our impact here.

• JDRF is now funding over 70 clinical trials—treatments with real potential to improve lives.

• The JDRF T1D Fund has now made investments in 10 companies. While the Fund is still fairly new, it has already jump-started many promising commercial developments and inspired others to invest more in T1D treatments.

• During One Conference, our volunteers and staff marched on Capitol Hill, where over 300 meetings with Senate and House members and staffers were held. During these meetings, we were able to tell the JDRF story, thank Congress for the two-year renewal of the Special Diabetes Program, and ask for a few important T1D-related items.

These T1D issues included:

• • Continued funding of the National Institutes of Health and U.S. Food and Drug Administration at the highest levels,
  • Signing a letter asking the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to have Medicare and Medicaid cover artificial pancreas systems,
  • Asking Congress to work to lower healthcare costs (particularly the cost of insulin for people with T1D), and
  • Ensuring the laws continue to require insurance coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.

You can learn more about JDRF advocacy here.

 

• There were a number of breakout sessions and trainings to help provide our volunteer/staff team with the knowledge and skills to be able elevate our impact on the JDRF mission back home. You can learn about volunteering for your South Jersey Chapter here.

• Finally, we celebrated great progress with our JDRF sister chapters from across the country. Volunteers and chapters were specifically recognized for their extraordinary contributions to our shared mission.

It was a positive and productive three days, sharing diverse ideas and experiences. We celebrated a year of strong growth—not just in fundraising but in the investment in our mission. We came away with an even greater appreciation of JDRF’s clear vision and plan for a world without T1D—and a sense of the strong and positive momentum that is pushing us toward that goal.

Thank you for your passion and commitment to the mission, and thank you for your tireless devotion to making our dream a reality!

Sincerely,

Tom Deeney                                                   Nanette Gerst
Board President                                             Executive Director
South Jersey Chapter                                    South Jersey Chapter