Breakthrough T1D Campaign Underway at Tops
Tops Friendly Markets is once again partnering with Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization. This year’s campaign began on April 5 and runs through Saturday, April 25, 2026. The goal is to raise money to help fund research to help find a cure for T1D. Last year alone, the Tops campaign raised $333,629.
T1D is an autoimmune disease that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all, leading to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and long-term complications. It was once viewed as a condition that could only be diagnosed in childhood, but now it is known that T1D can develop at any age, with half of all T1D diagnoses in adults. In fact, 50% of people with T1D are diagnosed between the ages of 31 and 60. This is one of the main reasons the name changes to Breakthrough T1D.
The paper sneaker, which was designed by a Tops associate back in 1993 and is now widely used in fundraising campaigns nationally and internationally, will be sold at Tops registers for a $1, $3, or $5 donation. Buffalo’s hometown team long snapper, Reid Ferguson, is on this year’s sneaker. Reid is passionate about this cause because his younger brother, Blake, who is a long snapper for Miami, has T1D.
Since 1993, Tops has raised over $15 million for the cause, with its fundraising efforts putting the company in the top fundraisers across national corporate partners.
“For over three decades, we’ve collaborated closely with our partners at Breakthrough T1D and have seen firsthand the critical role they play in nearly every major advancement in diabetes research,” said Ron Ferri, president of Tops Friendly Markets. “Each year, we support the Breakthrough T1D campaign because progress against type 1 diabetes doesn’t happen by chance—it happens through commitment. We believe in accelerating research, supporting families, and helping bring life-changing breakthroughs closer to reality.”
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