What We Do

Mission

The Diabetes Youth Foundation of Indiana (DYFI) is a local 501c3 non-profit with a mission and passion to educate, encourage, and empower children living with Type 1 diabetes, while providing support to their families. We serve hundreds of youth every year through our Residential Summer Camp, Day Camp, Family & Teen Weekends, Ambassador Program, and other outreach opportunities. While we are located in Noblesville, IN, we serve the whole state of Indiana.

History

The Diabetes Youth Foundation of Indiana was formed in 1989 to support, educate and encourage children with Type 1 diabetes. The DYFI camping experience and outreach programs give children with Type 1 diabetes the opportunity to learn more about their diabetes and to grow more confident in their ability to handle the daily challenges faced in managing their disease. As part of our mission, and to ensure children with diabetes have a place to call home where they can learn more about diabetes management, in late 2005 DYFI purchased a camp in Noblesville, Indiana.

The camp, Camp Until a Cure, is the only camp in Indiana owned, designed and operated specifically for the needs of children with diabetes. We have continued to grow with both families and outreach and have partnered with others in the community to help educate and provide awareness about Type 1 diabetes.

What We Do

We want to continue to help as many children and families as possible. It is our policy that every child has the opportunity to attend our programs, regardless of ability to pay. We charge $600 per child per week, half of the actual cost, due to the inability of majority of the families to afford $1400. Additionally, we provided 46% of the families this past summer an additional campership. We work with school nurses, doctor offices, social workers, and foster families to reach under served youth. The impact of camp from a psychosocial standpoint is hard to put into words.

Many kids at camp have never met another child with diabetes, haven’t spent the night away from home since diagnosis, or struggle feeling alone. Camp not only gives these children belonging, but also educates on how to maintain a healthy life with this disease.

Our Ambassador program launched this year in January. It centers around five main goals: service within DYFI, community impact, diabetes advocacy, program input, and outreach. It is a group of teenagers ages 16-19 making a difference for others in their community. The group is lead by teenagers with adults who act as mentors.

Each year we serve between 240-270 youth with diabetes, along with their families just through our camps and programs.

Our outreach opportunities reach even more families. We increased from one to two full time employees in May, as we are increasing our programming and outreach due to increased need. According to the American Diabetes Association, 15,600 children are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes annually and by 2050, 1 in every 3 people will have diabetes. These numbers are staggering and continuing to increase. We want to be able to provide support to as many youth and families as possible. All of our funding comes from grants, donations, fundraisers, and camper fees. This is why your support is so meaningful and has such a large impact for our organization!

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Program Goals & Outcomes

  • The Diabetes Youth Foundation of Indiana believes that through Camp Until A Cure:
  • A child or teen with diabetes should not be denied any opportunity because of their disease.
  • A child or teen with diabetes should not be held back, but rather challenged to do the things that a child without diabetes can do.
  • Children and teens with diabetes benefit from a support system that helps them manage their condition/ disease.
  • Children and teens create a support network where they encourage and motivate each other to manage the complexities of living with diabetes.
  • Campers develop interpersonal and social skills and are given the opportunity to make new, lifelong friendships.
  • All of our programs should be open and available to any child in need, regardless of their ability to pay.
  • Children can learn from each other and medical staff on best practices to manage their disease.

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Provide a safe, fun camping experience for campers ages 5-15

Outcome Objective: All staff will ensure that camp policies are followed and campers’ safety is maintained at all times. Program will provide good diabetes management and a program consistent with good diabetes care.

Provide hands on activities in life, physical, and environmental sciences.

Outcome objective: All campers will participate in the science program. All campers will develop and create a personal science investigation.

Provide an enriched recreation program defined by Full Value Contract of play fair, play safe, have fun, and provide a natural setting with comfortable facilities flexible enough for groups to carry out programs of their own design.

Outcome Objective: All campers participate in camp program and make choices on activities and projects. All campers understand and use full value contract. All staff will work together to ensure safe use of camp resources and programs.

Provide opportunities for campers to make new life-long friendships within the program and develop interpersonal relationships and social skills.

Outcome Objective: 80% of campers will have: Shared in the work for all cabin clean ups by the end of the session. Demonstrated good listening skills on at least two occasions. Made at least three new friends by the end of the session. Acknowledged the feelings of a group member on at least two occasions during camp. Demonstrated or improved their pro social behavior.

Provide campers diabetes education that fosters a healthy and productive lifestyle.

Outcome Objective: All campers will participate in the daily diabetes education program. All campers will participate in special programs, activities, and hands on learning experiences.

Provide growth opportunities for each camper.

Outcome Objective: provide opportunities for each camper to grow in some way: personal skills, diabetes skills, new skills.