In My Community

Family Link and Youth

Learning to live with diabetes doesn't happen overnight – and our message to parents and children is: you don't have to do it alone. Family Link connects families with other families of kids with diabetes.

• Family Link Parent Mentors – Connects parents with mentors who understand how they are feeling.
• Family Link Events – Fun and social diabetes education events offer families an opportunity to learn more about diabetes and meet other families of children with diabetes.
• Diabetes Camps – Full and partial scholarships to children who quality for financial assistance.
• Planet D Website – Safe web content just for kids with diabetes.

If you would like be a part of our Family Link Family and receive information on upcoming events, please contact rrampersaud@diabetes.org.

Por tu Familia

Community-based activities are an important part of Por tu Familia. Through fun and informative workshops and activities, the Latino community can learn more about diabetes, the importance of making healthy food choices and being physically active on a regular basis.

The goals for Port u Familia are:

• Increase awareness that diabetes is a serious disease
• Increase awareness of  diabetes risk factors
• Inform Latinos that they are at high risk for developing diabetes
• Introduce the American Diabetes Association as a valuable resource for diabetes information

Elements of Por Tu Familia include Diabetes Days in local churches, ¡ Todos a Moverse para su Salud! (Everybody Move For Your Health!), i Todos a Bailar para su Salud! (Everybody Dance For Your Health!), Salud y Sabor en la Cocina (Health & Flavor in the Kitchen) and "De Todo Corazón," (With All My Heart).

Live EMPOWERED

Our African American Initiatives are a targeted approach to increasing the awareness of the seriousness of diabetes and emphasizing the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices such as moving more and eating healthier.

African American Initiatives develop culturally appropriate materials and community-based activities that empower, educate and create measurable differences in the prevalence of diabetes and its complications among people of African descent. The vision of the initiative is a healthier community living free from diabetes and it's complications.

The target audience is all people of African descent living in the United States whether they identify themselves as being African American, Black, African or from the Caribbean.

Workshops and Events: Community-based educational programs/workshops are an important part of the African American Initiatives. Through fun and informative workshops conducted by trained Association staff and volunteers, community members can learn more about diabetes, the importance of making healthy food choices and being physically active on a regular basis. Description of workshops:

• Fit and Faithful, Body and Soul - This workshop teaches the importance of physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight in the management of diabetes. Participants learn why physical activity is important and how to incorporate more movement into their daily routine.
• O’ Taste and See - Demonstrates healthy eating and cooking for the entire family, particularly family members with diabetes, and how best to integrate healthy eating into everyday life. Participants will learn healthier ways to prepare food and be able to identify appropriate portion sizes.
• Choose to Live - Sisters Strong Together is a workshop designed to educate African Americans about the risks associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Heart disease is the number one cause of death for African Americans with diabetes, yet the majority is unaware of their increased risk for heart attack and stroke.
• Power Over Diabetes - This workshop creates awareness about diabetes, diabetes management and treatment of diabetes.
• Train Up a Child - This workshop creates awareness that type 2 diabetes is increasing among African American youth and teaches how to assist youth in becoming healthier.

Live Empowered has grown to over 30 churches throughout Central Florida cities reaching over 12,000 church members.

For more information, please contact Pauline Lowe at plowe@diabetes.org or 407-660-1926.

Diabetes Day

Diabetes Day is a nationwide faith-based initiative to raise awareness about diabetes and its deadly consequences in the African American community. We invite churches with congregations of all sizes to work with the Association to raise awareness about the seriousness of diabetes and its impact on the African American community, and to host diabetes education programs such as Power Over Diabetes and Live EMPOWERED workshops.

November is American Diabetes Month. For more information on how to host Diabetes Day in your church during American Diabetes Month, please contact Pauline Lowe at plowe@diabetes.org or 407-660-1926.

Living With Type 2 Diabetes - Ongoing

Get more information and support throughout the year. Join the American Diabetes Association Living With Type 2 Diabetes program. The program is available as an online or a mailed program. Both offer the same great content. Choose how you want to receive information when you sign up. Once you sign up, we will send you free regular mailings that will help you learn more about diabetes, stay healthy and feel better.

Diabetes is a journey. The American Diabetes Association is ready to be with you every step of the way.

The Living With Type 2 Diabetes program includes: Three free issues of our award-winning magazine, Diabetes Forecast. More information about how to take care of your diabetes. Delicious and healthy recipes for you and your family.

The American Diabetes Association also offers free information and support at 1-800-DIABETES or askada@diabetes.org. Diabetes.org/chat, to chat online with a representative. Local programs and events in your community.

When you enroll in program, choose if you want to receive information through the mail or online. To sign up for the Living With Type 2 Diabetes program: Call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit diabetes.org/living

Diabetes Advocate - Ongoing

Government Affairs and Advocacy - Ongoing. Advocacy at the American Diabetes Association works to improve access to quality care, eliminate discrimination against people because of their diabetes, and make sure the federal government is adequately funding diabetes research and programs. What you say matters.

Become a diabetes advocate and make a difference; and receive action alerts on state and federal legislation that affects people with diabetes.

Stop Diabetes @ Work-Ongoing

Stop Diabetes at Work is a program of the American Diabetes Association which provides the resources for employers to use in the workplace to help employees need to live healthier lives — whether they are working to prevent diabetes or to manage diabetes if they have already been diagnosed.

The goal is to:

• Achieve higher productivity and reduce health care costs by raising diabetes awareness among employees.
• Provide resources from the Winning at Work Guide to support the implementation of educational activities.
• Supply awareness materials for the workplace about detecting, preventing and managing diabetes.
• Protect individuals with disabilities (such as diabetes) from discrimination by educating employers about federal and state laws.