Fort Lauderdale area Wal-Mart Store #1387 is unstoppable in their support of the American Diabetes Association

Fort Lauderdale area Wal-Mart Store #1387 is unstoppable in their support of the American Diabetes Association

1387 is unstoppable.

For the past six years, 39 employees known as “1387” from a local Fort Lauderdale area Wal-Mart have taken to raising dollars and awareness for the American Diabetes Association to extraordinary levels. Since 2011 “1387” has raised over $100,000 for cure. Diabetes runs deep with this group, as five of them currently live with this disease. They draw their passion and inspiration from each other as they raise money and work to educate the community. Their drive also comes in memory of one of their co-workers who passed away due to complications from diabetes. This passion was fueled because their co-worker who died did not know that he had diabetes and was a recent immigrant from Haiti. He did not have access to medical care or information in Creole.  His fate could have been avoided.

Since his passing, this group has made it their mission to bring wellness and awareness to South Florida. In their store they coordinate with ADA staff to provide basic diabetes information quarterly during team meetings and have a healthy selection of diabetes materials visible in employee break areas. Going beyond they share and disseminate information within their community and to their families. A highlight of their work includes bringing ADA diabetes risk assessment brochures in Creole to the Haitian community. “Even if we can save one life, we have made a difference.  Our plan is to save as many as possible”, says Liz Mitchell.

Through Step Out, team captains Liz Mitchell and Alix Story cultivate new team members each year to further their impact on the health of our community. With over 20 diabetes champions, they are also super-stars among the Fort Lauderdale Walk teams. They attend every Step Out event and are very proud of the work that they do at their churches, community programs, and within their neighborhoods to educate people and make their mark in the fight against diabetes.