Seattle—Ducky’s Office Furniture today announced it would partner with Pacific Northwest Research Institute (PNRI, now PNDRI), Quality Food Centers (QFC), Inc., and the Puget Sound Business Journal in support of Ducks For Kids With Diabetes—a campaign launched three years ago by PNRI to generate funds for diabetes research during the month of January.

The four-week cause-marketing campaign will raise money for diabetes research through point-of-sale donations made at checkout stands in all 77 QFC stores throughout Washington State and the Portland, Oregon area. During the month of January and through the second week of February, donations will also be encouraged at Ducky's Office Furniture locations in Seattle and Bellevue. In return, QFC and Ducky's Office Furniture customers will be provided information on diabetes and the breakthrough research efforts of PNRI.

Ducks For Kids With Diabetes comes at a time when experts at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) predict 1 of every 3 children born in the United States in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime. "Targeted scientific research is needed, now more than ever, to address increasing rates of diabetes in children and adults," said PNRI President and Scientific Director Dr. Paul Robertson. "Teaching people proper eating habits is also important for the prevention and self-care management of the disease" he added.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), more than 20.8 million Americans have diabetes, though about one-third of them do not know they have the disease. An estimated 41 million additional Americans live with a condition known as pre-diabetes, putting them at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Josh Feinstein, General Manager of Ducky's Office Furniture in Seattle, has volunteered on the PNRI Wine Event Guild for the last three years and considers partnering with Ducks for Kids with Diabetes the logical next step. "Ducky's Office Furniture will match one-percent of all furniture sales generated during the campaign and donate it in full to PNRI upon completion of the campaign," said Mr. Feinstein.

"Ducky's Office Furniture cares about the health and well-being of our customers facing the risks and challenges of diabetes—it is our honor to support PNRI in their research efforts as well as inspire our customers to do the same," he added.

"PNRI is very excited to partner with Ducky's Office Furniture, QFC, Inc., and the Puget Sound Business Journal. Their generosity is remarkable and will help tremendously in the effort to better predict, prevent, and cure diabetes in kids. Our fingers are crossed for a successful campaign!" said Dr. Robertson.

About Ducks for Kids with Diabetes: Ducks For Kids With Diabetes is a four-week cause-marketing campaign spearheaded by QFC, Inc., in support of breakthrough diabetes science at PNRI. Additional partners in the 2008 campaign include Ducky's Office Furniture and the Puget Sound Business Journal. Point-of-sale donations to Ducks For Kids With Diabetes will be collected at checkout stands in all 77 QFC throughout Washington State and the Portland, Oregon area. During the month of January and through the second week of February, donations will also be accepted at Ducky's Office Furniture locations in Seattle and Bellevue. Last year, Ducks For Kids With Diabetes raised $28,000 for diabetes research at PNRI.

About Diabetes: Diabetes takes many forms but is characterized by abnormally high glucose levels in the blood resulting from the body's inability to produce insulin, the hormone that regulates blood glucose levels, as in type 1 diabetes, or a combination of insulin resistances and insulin deficiency, as in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes-related health complications are the leading cause of kidney failure, blindness in adults, and leg and foot amputations unrelated to injury in the United States.

About Pacific Northwest Research Institute (PNRI): PNRI is a 52 year-old independent non-profit biomedical and clinical research center founded by Dr. William Hutchinson, Sr., who also founded the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The mission of PNRI is to support and conduct basic and clinical studies that lead to the prevention and cure of diabetes and its complications. PNRI's team of 104 doctors and researchers is committed to applying scientific discoveries to the real improvement of health for people living with diabetes.