Nov 13, 2012 3 min read

JDRF, formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, will get a bit of help this week from purchases made at Bob Evans Restaurants on Wednesday, World Diabetes Day.

JDRF is a charitable organization dedicated to funding Type 1 diabetes research. Its stated mission is to improve the lives of all people affected by T1D by accelerating progress on the most promising opportunities for curing, better treating, and preventing the disease. With over 80 percent of its funding going directly to research and research-related education, JDRF has contributed close to $2 billion since it was founded in 1970.

This will be the first national community fundraiser held by Bob Evans Farms, Inc. to raise money for JDRF. It couldn’t come at a better time for the organization whose national headquarters are located in lower Manhattan in New York.

In a statement on its website, JDRF representatives said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with each and every person affected by the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. The hurricane’s effects have touched the lives of our committed employees, their families and the countless volunteers who give tirelessly to support JDRF.”

Although phone lines at many of its satellite offices remain inoperable, its headquarters was closed for a period, and many of the organizations employees have been displaced and are without power, “JDRF is still moving forward with our efforts to cure, treat, and prevent T1D. Unfortunately, T1D does not take a break due to hurricanes, and we need your support more than ever.”

T1D strikes both children and adults at any age. It comes on suddenly, causes dependence on injected or pumped insulin for life, and carries the constant threat of devastating complications. It is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States, affecting more than 20 million people, according to the JDRF.

“Bob Evans will donate 15 percent of sales to JDRF when guests present a special JDRF flyer on Nov. 14 for dine-in, carryout or catering,” said Margaret Standing, director of corporate communications for Bob Evans Farms, Inc.

The flyer is downloadable at the company’s Facebook page in the events tab, www.facebook.com/bobevans/events, according to Standing.

“Most of us know someone who struggles with diabetes, and we recognize that it’s a daily challenge to live with it,” said Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Chairman and CEO Steve Davis. “That’s why Bob Evans has supported research for a cure for 20 years and why we’re so pleased to support JDRF in its work to end this disease.”