Diabetes Advocates is a program of the Diabetes Hands Foundation, a nonprofit organization, that connects Diabetes advocates, helps them work together, and pools their resources to help people with Diabetes. Diabetes Hands Foundation launched this program in 2010.
We envision a world where everyone who wishes to advocate for people with Diabetes can connect with other like-minded advocates and get the support they need to help people with Diabetes.
How do we define a Diabetes Advocate?
Individuals and organizations who have taken a leadership role in improving the world for people touched by diabetes. We welcome anyone who meets this definition, whether they are a patient, a parent of a child with Diabetes, a spouse of someone with diabetes, a medical professional who works to help PWDs beyond his/her practice, etc.
Diabetes Advocatesin 2012
Goals:
- Become more effective advocates for people with diabetes.
- Diversify the program to people representing all types of diabetes.
- Grow and widen our demographic and geographic reach.
- Draw more attention to the work of our members.
- Connect with more outside partners and media in mutually beneficial ways.
Becoming a member:
To apply please click complete the membership application form in the Join Us page. Applicants are evaluated by a Membership Committee, made up of current members of the program. Membership is restricted to individuals and organizations with less than $5 million in yearly revenue.
The membership fee is $50 per year. If you cannot afford this fee, there is a sliding scale, allowing you to pay $15 per year. We recognize that some individuals continue to advocate even in difficult personal financial situations. Where DA dues are a financial burden membership scholarships are available. If this is true in your case, please indicate your need by sending an email to info@diabetesadvocates.org.
Membership Benefits
- Google Group (and private WordPress-based online forum): Share views, ideas, advocacy opportunities and success stories in lively conversations to support and inspire other advocates in a private online space.
- Listing on Diabetes Advocates web site: www.diabetesadvocates.org
- Inclusion of blog posts in live feed on the DA web site.
- Listing in the Diabetes Advocates printed materials. In 2011, 5,000 copies of these were distributed at diabetes conferences and other events to medical professionals, patients and other community leaders.
- Eligible to be present at or participate in booths where DA is represented throughout the year, an ideal benefit for networking with industry and medical professionals at a reduced cost. This benefit includes the cost of registration to these events.
- Eligibility for the following benefits: DHF Seeds grants; applying for scholarships to help members who cannot afford it attend diabetes conferences; participating in free webinars throughout the year about topics of interest to the group such as Search Engine Optimization; becoming a resource to media on behalf of the program, to help get the diabetes message right in articles, segments, shows and movies.
- Members who have written diabetes books are eligible to promote their books on the DA web site for an additional $50 annually (this benefit is currently being reviewed).