The mission of the National Kidney Foundation of Florida is to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplant. The National Kidney Foundation of Florida is one of 51 affiliates of the National Kidney Foundation, a non-profit, tax exempt, national voluntary health agency.

The National Kidney Foundation of Florida is funded entirely by public donations. In addition to special events, such as golf tournaments and walks, the foundation raises money by soliciting donations of money, cars, clothing and unwanted household merchandise.

To help raise funds from the donations of clothing and/or household merchandise, the NKF of Florida has established a relationship with Sunshine Thrift Stores, Inc., a Florida for-profit corporation. Telemarketers contact potential donors throughout selected areas and make arrangements to pick up the items. The NKF of Florida then sells the donated items exclusively to Sunshine Thrift Stores. The relationship allows the NKF of Florida to concentrate on patient services, public education, and research, while Sunshine Thrift Stores resells the merchandise to the public and assumes all costs and risks associated with retail establishments. Since 1982, the NKF of Florida and Sunshine Thrift Stores have worked together. The thrift store operation accounts for approximately 8% of the foundation's revenues.

The NKF of Florida is a vital resource for patients and their families—helping them learn to cope with the physical and emotional aspects of the disease and providing them with hope for the future. The foundation has also undertaken a major effort to screen at-risk individuals through its KEEP, Kidney Early Evaluation Program, since one in nine American adults have kidney disease, and most don't even know it. During fiscal year 2001, 82.5% of NKF of Florida's expenses went directly to programs and services such as KEEP, patient conferences, direct patient aid, research, public education and community service.

For more information on the National Kidney Foundation of Florida, please call 1-800-927-9659 or visit the website at www.kidneyfla.org.