ROANOKE, Va. (Jan. 11, 2011) — Advance Auto Parts Inc. raised more than $4.8 million last year in support of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's (JDRF) diabetes research efforts.
The automotive aftermarket retailer of parts, batteries, accessories and maintenance items said it is the company's 17th consecutive year of support for JDRF in the search to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. As a national JDRF corporate partner, Advance has raised more than $25 million to date for JDRF over the 17 year partnership.
Darren Jackson, CEO of Advance Auto, said supporting JDRF “is an important part of our company culture and the national campaign is an opportunity for our team members to give back to the communities in which they live and work. We appreciate the tremendous participation from both our do-it-yourself and commercial customers, as well as our vendor partners.”
Throughout the year, Advance employees and customers hold fundraisers including, every September, an annual JDRF “sneaker” sales program in the company's stores. Customers purchase paper “sneakers” for $1, $5, $25 and $50, which are then displayed in store windows to show support, and proceeds from every sneaker sold go directly to JDRF. Other events include local Walk to Cure Diabetes events, golf tournaments and silent auctions as well as other fundraisers.
“JDRF is grateful to Advance Auto Parts, its customers and team members for 17 years of dedicated support to improving the lives of people with type 1 diabetes today and in the future,” said Jeffrey Brewer, JDRF president and CEO. “Through their support, research funded by JDRF continues to lead toward better treatments, and eventually a cure for type 1 diabetes.”
JDRF was founded in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes and, since then, has awarded more than $1.5 billion to diabetes research, including $107 million last year.
As of last October, Roanoke-based Advance Auto Parts operated 3,540 stores in 39 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.