The American Diabetes Association

The American Diabetes Association, Who are they? And what do they do? The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is a non-profit association based out of the United States working to fight the consequences of diabetes, as well as support all those affected.  The Association is based out of Virginia, but they have two local chapters, one in Southfield and one in Grand Rapids.

The Association funds research to prevent diabetes and find a cure, delivers services to local communities, provides information and advocates on behalf of those denied their rights due to diabetes.  Their mission is “To prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes”. To learn more about the American Diabetes Association click here.  

Back in January, I had the pleasure of interviewing Krista Lang, Associate Manager of the American Diabetes Association's Bingham Farms office in Southfield. She was super nice and had a bunch of pamphlets and brochures waiting for me. It was a great experience and Krista was very accommodating! Below are some of the questions I asked during the interview:

Tell me about your local chapter?

The American Diabetes Association has two offices in the state of Michigan. One is Southfield and one in Grand Rapids. However, they are nationally based all over the United States.

What impact have you had on Southeast Michigan?

Southeast Michigan has had the best impact due to their office. The staff members all participate in multiple events, such as ID Day (I Decide to Stop Diabetes), health fairs, outreach programs, Camp Midicha, Diabetes Wellness Day, Tour de Cure, and Walk to Stop Diabetes.  We also target churches in Detroit, and visit local schools.

What challenges does your office face?

A lot! The biggest challenge is having limited staff. The Southfield location has nine employees, while the Grand Rapids location only has two employees. I wish we were able to have more staff, so we would be able to do more community outreach. Essentially we work off of what people fundraise; therefore the association has to be smart money wise.

What can individuals, like me do to help make an impact?

FUNDRAISE! The association runs solely off fundraising. The fundraising allows us to be able to go out into the community and print/design material. However, a majority of the money goes to research.

What is your main goal?

Our main goal is to find a cure, but in the mean time we help people manage the disease.

This is a video I found on YouTube that the Association put out to education the population on Diabetes. Remember, Together We Can Stop Diabetes!