DIABCAMP PROGRAMME: FUND-RAISING FOR GRANTING CHILDREN WITH DIABETES TO ATTEND SUMMER CAMPS "FUNDACIÓN PARA LA DIABETES" (SPAIN)

P. Diaz, M. Marín, R. Arana;
Fundación para la Diabetes, Madrid, Spain.
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Background and Aims: Fundación para la Diabetes is a non-profit making organization devoted to increase the quality of life of people with diabetes.

To fulfil its Mission the Foundation collaborates with diabetes associations in order to facilitate their activities. Many Spanish diabetes associations organize summer camps for children with diabetes. However, shortage of resources is an issue for the associations, furthermore a number of families do not have enough income for their children to attend summer camps.

DiabCamp Project was an initiative of “Fundación para la Diabetes” in order to:

  • Help families to send their children with diabetes to summer camps organized by diabetic associations.
  • Establish an equity system for grants allocations.
  • Ensure transparency of the whole process and report it to the industrial partner, associations, and families.
  • Set up long term collaboration with an industrial partner

Materials and Methods:

  • Fundación para la Diabetes played an active role in looking for an industrial partner. Finally a soft drink (zero calories) manufacturer accepted to sponsor the project.
  • Publicity: Call for grant applications were sent to all associations in Spain.
  • Grants allocation criteria: 1) families with low income, children with less than 2 years of diabetes evolution, children that never before attended to a diabetes summer camp, families with more than one child with diabetes.
  • Transparency: The appointment of grants was made under notary control. Financial report and external audit were submitted to the industrial partner.

Results: After many calls to prospect for an industrial partner we have got the commitment of a soft-drink (zero calories) company to set up the programme, which has been running 3 consecutive years, since 2000:

Year 2000: 107 children with diabetes were benefited from grants; according to their preferences, they were distributed among summer camps organized by 12 different diabetic associations. Total grant amounts: 12,861.66 €.

Year 2001: 106 children with diabetes were benefited from the grants; according to their preferences, they were distributed among summer camps organized by 17 different diabetic associations. Total grant amounts: 12,741.60 €

Year 2002: 146 children with diabetes were benefited from the grants; according to their preferences, they were distributed among summer camps organized by 17 different diabetes associations.
Total grants amount: 17,549.55 €

Conclusion: Continuous and growing sponsorship from industrial partners can be raised providing equity and transparency in grant allocations, otherwise claims by the associations or families could destroy the partner´s commitments in the long term.