Drop your pants, knock your socks off, and give a shirt for the 10 million canadians with diabetes or prediabetes

Survey shows Canadians are pack rats; CDA challenges people to lose 3 pounds of clothing for a cure

TORONTO, June 22, 2015 /CNW/ - The Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) is asking Canadians to drop their pants, knock their socks off, and "give a shirt" for diabetes by donating gently used clothing to help fund a cure. Today, the CDA launches the 3-Pound Challenge, encouraging Canadians to clean out their closets and drop at least three pounds of clothing into the CDA's shiny red Clothesline drop boxes. A new mobile app available through the Apple App Store now, and coming soon for Android device users will help people locate Clothesline drop box locations, track their donations, and challenge their friends.

Diabetes is a growing epidemic in Canada that currently costs the health-care system $14 billion per year. The number of Canadians living with diabetes or prediabetes is expected to rise from more than 10 million today to 13 million by 2025.

"We know Canadians can spare a shirt to support kids and adults living with diabetes, and that's what has made our Clothesline boxes so popular for thirty years," said Janelle Robertson, General Manager of Strategic Initiatives at the Clothesline program. "With the diabetes epidemic growing, we ask Canadians to consider dropping their pants and knocking their socks off too, to bring us even closer to a cure. It's the easiest three pounds you'll ever lose!"

For Canadians living with diabetes, a little clothing off generous backs goes a long way. Last year alone, the CDA's Clothesline program raised close to $10 million, all of which was invested in programs and services to help people live well with diabetes, to fund groundbreaking Canadian research, and more. Taking the 3-Pound Challenge will help raise even more money, which is a win-win for everyone. All it takes is downloading the CDA's new Clothesline mobile app, locating a drop box near you, and dropping as little as three pounds of gently used clothing in it. The more you donate, the higher you rank, and the greater your impact!

When it comes to clothes, are Canadians pack rats or purgers? New survey provides the answer

Canadians embrace donating clothing to charity, but they're slow to clean out their closets:

• Seventy-seven per cent of Canadians say they give used clothing to charity.
• However, only thirty-five per cent of Canadians say they get rid of unwanted clothing when they notice something they don't want anymore. Women are better at closet-purging than men, with thirty-nine per cent of women agreeing with this statement, compared with just thirty-one per cent of men.
• Twenty-three per cent of those surveyed purge unwanted clothing once every few years—a giving frequency the CDA wants to improve with the 3-Pound Challenge.

Altruism drives donation

When considering donating gently used clothing, Canadians are driven by an altruistic impulse. Some of the noble reasons for donations include:

• Knowledge that the donation will help fund research to cure a disease (sixty-eight per cent);
• Knowledge that the donation will help send a child to camp, such as the CDA's D-Camps for children and youth with type 1 diabetes (sixty-six per cent);
• A clear understanding of how one's donation will be used, who it will help, and how (sixty-three per cent);
• Clear knowledge that one has done something good for the environment (sixty per cent); and,
• Knowing that the donation helps someone the donor knows personally (sixty per cent).

While the CDA's Clothesline program is the largest of its kind, the survey also found that nearly half (forty-four per cent) of Canadians have not heard of it—something the CDA aims to change.

Each year, Clothesline keeps more than 100 million pounds of clothing and household items out of landfill. Donations at Clothesline drop boxes support breakthrough diabetes research, programs and services, education, hands-on programs and services, and advocacy initiatives; one box alone collects enough clothing in a year to send two kids with type 1 diabetes to D-Camps.

More convenient than ever

Not surprisingly, the greatest motivating factor for drop box donations is convenience. An overwhelming eighty-one per cent of Canadians surveyed confirmed that having a drop box located close to their home or in another convenient location would make them more likely to donate their clothing.

Respondents also liked the idea of the upcoming Clothesline mobile app, which helps users find their nearest drop box. Forty per cent of respondents said this app would make them more likely to donate.

Everyone loves a challenge

For some, donating is all about the thrill of a contest. A full thirty-five per cent of survey respondents said that a community challenge to see which community can donate the most would likely motivate them to donate. Furthermore, one in five respondents said they would be motivated by the chance to challenge their friends to match their donations.

On the Clothesline Drop Box app, users are encouraged to "check in," share their donation on social media, and tag their friends to extend the challenge to them. So get going, Canada - 3 pounds is a cinch!

About the survey
Between March 2 and 27, 2015, Leger completed a survey of 1144 Canadians (excluding residents of Quebec) using its online panel, LegerWeb. The panel has approximately 460,000 members nationally, and its members are randomly selected to receive email invitations to the individual surveys.

About the CDA
The CDA is the registered national charity that helps the 10 million Canadians with diabetes or prediabetes live healthy lives, while also educating those at risk. In communities across Canada, the CDA:

• offers a wide array of support services to members of the public;
• offers resources to health-care professionals on best practices to care for people with diabetes;
• advocates to governments, schools, workplaces and others on behalf of people with diabetes; and,
• funds research on better treatments and to find a cure.

For more information, visit diabetes.ca or call 1-800-BANTING (226-8464).

About Clothesline
Each year, the Clothesline program diverts more than 51 million kilograms of clothing from landfill sites across Canada. This translates into savings of 942 million kWh of energy—equivalent to driving a compact car more than 46,000 times around the globe—and reduces our carbon footprint by 130 million kilograms. "Like" us on Facebook at donate2clothesline and follow us on Twitter @diabetesclothes.

SOURCE Canadian Diabetes Association

Image with caption: "CDA challenges people to lose three pounds of clothing for a cure (CNW Group/Canadian Diabetes Association)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150622_C9734_PHOTO_EN_43638.jpg