Our support group meetings are held throughout the Southern California area.  We are a local organization and all the funds we raise are used to fund local programs and services.  We hold quarterly educational seminars in the community featuring panels consisting of experts in their respective fields, i.e. guest physicians, counselors and other professionals who discuss the latest lupus research, answer questions and exchange information on coping with this chronic illness.  We also offer doctor referral services.  Representatives from the Foundation participate in local health fairs at workplaces, churches, shopping centers, community fairs, street fairs and libraries to bring more awareness about lupus to the local communities.

Your give combined with other donations will be used for printing our quarterly newsletters, educational lupus pamphlets – both in English and Spanish – and sending out information packets.  We hope that by informing the community about lupus – both the lay community and doctors – diagnosis will be made earlier and the individuals will know there is a local organization to which they can turn for peer patient counseling by telephone an din our office.  A great many people have never heard of lupus, although 1 in 185 people have lupus a disease that currently affects over 2 million Americans – 90% women which includes African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and Asians.  The people that do have lupus are not very vocal about their suffering.  Lupus is a chronic disease in which the immune system attacks normal, healthy tissue resulting in inflammation of various parts of the body.  It can be debilitating and even fatal.  Lupus most often targets women in the prime of their lives (ages 15-45).  Some common symptoms of lupus are joint pain, skin rashes, kidney dysfunction, lung, heart, and brain disease.  Your donation will help us achieve our mission to raise awareness of lupus and to make life better for those living with lupus and to find a cure!  A dedicated team of volunteers and professional staff works to help fulfill the Lupus Foundation’s mission of providing support, public education and funding of progressive medical research.  In striving to fulfill our mission, we bring hope to the thousands whose lives are touched by lupus.

We have a system of checks and balances in place.  First, our board of directors approves of how our money is spent.   Then the organizations of which we are a member require an annual review by a CPA of our operations to insure compliance with their guidelines.

Yes.  Volunteers are needed in the areas of grant writing; public speaking at the workplace, civic clubs, and in the community; public relations; community outreach programs; computer knowledge – both software and hardware; graphic artist; assistance in the office; and various fundraising committees.  Please call the office at (858) 278-2788 and we can go into more detail.