Helllllooooo JDRFFFFFF!

My name is Hasan Shah and I’ve been with the Foundation for a little over four years, first as a Grassroots Coordinator and now as the Grassroots Advocacy Manager. And along the way, I have enjoyed every bit of my time with you. Mike and Amanda noted that they knew someone with type 1 diabetes before coming to JDRF, but I on the other hand, did not have a connection to type 1. All that’s changed now, in the past four years I have made hundreds of friends that I work with and work for towards better management and the eventual cure of type 1 diabetes! My appreciation for our mission continues to grow every day as I get to know more and more of you and see the passion that so many put into action by advocating for a cure.

My role at JDRF is all about advocating for a cure through the relationships you build. For instance, right now I am working on organizing the 2011 Children’s Congress with a team of JDRF volunteers and staff from across the nation. During Children’s Congress, 150 JDRF advocate families will come to Washington to help their legislators understand the importance of continuing to fund research for type 1 diabetes through streams like the Special Diabetes Program. Earlier this year our JDRF Advocacy volunteers and staff, under the leadership of the four fabulous Promise Campaign Co-chairs, wrapped-up the most successful Promise to Remember Me Campaign. We helped JDRF advocates work with each other in their communities to meet with 431 Members of Congress. Theses meetings helped Congress understand how type 1 diabetes impacts local communities. Promise truly highlighted why our advocates are so passionate about a cure! This year I’ll also have the opportunity to be more deeply involved with JDRF Advocacy at the Walks and will be supporting local JDRF Advocacy Teams in Central, Southeast, Upland South, and West regions to build a larger advocate base. Overall, my role at JDRF is focused on making sure that we mobilize as many supporters of a cure for type 1 diabetes whenever there is a call-to-action: be it if it’s helping recruit new advocates at JDR events such as walks, making phone calls or sending emails to legislators, or meeting with the legislators in person to make sure we drive our point home.

We can only continue grow and become stronger as an advocacy organization if all of us understand the importance of the relationships we build with each other as we work towards a cure: advocates to advocates, advocates to legislators and advocates to JDRF staff. The strength of your support is what truly sets JDRF apart in Washington, so keep turning your passion into action!

Feel free to leave me a comment or question and see you for the next call-to-action!