HELP A DIABETIC CHILD RECEIVES FOUNDATION GRANT

HELP A DIABETIC CHILD RECEIVES COLLIER COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GRANT TO SUPPORT CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS

Help a Diabetic Child (HADC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children and families who are dealing with diabetes, has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Collier Community Foundation. The grant will benefit local children and young adults in securing life-saving insulin, diabetes supplies and medical services.

Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin to naturally regulate the body’s blood sugar, leaving diagnosed individuals with a life-long dependency on costly medical insulin. Without the adequate insulin, a child can only survive a few days.

“We are grateful to the Collier Community Foundation for their continued support of families in our community who struggle with the rising costs of diabetes,” said Tami Balavage, Founder/President for Help a Diabetic Child. “In addition to insulin and medical supplies, this latest grant includes Endocrinology and Emotional Support visits.”

The Collier Community Foundation is a tax-exempt, public, charitable foundation, established in 1985 to increase private philanthropy in Collier County. It awards grants through a competitive application and review process. Selected organizations receive grant dollars from the “Changing Needs Fund,” which is made up of donors who believe in the Foundation’s ability to identify and grant to the community’s most current needs.

Help A Diabetic Child was founded in Naples in 2010 by Balavage after her 16-year-old son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It quickly became evident that there was a significant number of children who were unable to get adequate medical supplies for blood glucose testing and insulin injections, which must be done multiple times daily.

Statistics show that the number of Americans being diagnosed with diabetes continues to rise at alarming rates. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) reports that almost 10% of the population has diabetes, while another 8 million are undiagnosed. In addition, the ADA reports that 86 million Americans over the age of 20 years have pre-diabetes.

To learn more about the Help A Diabetic Child Foundation or to support its mission of providing life-saving supplies and services, visit online at www.helpadiabeticchild.org.