arthritis foundation arthritis foundation the arthritis foundation is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to addressing the needs of people living with arthritis in the united states. there are more than 60 million adults and 300,000 children living with arthritis, the nation's leading cause of disability. the foundation works to provide information and resources, access to care, advancements in science and community connections. arthritis foundationformation1948typenon-profit organizationlegal statusfoundationheadquartersatlanta, georgiacoordinates33°47′27.37″n 84°23′17.51″wregion served usapresident & ceosteven taylormain organboard of directorsrevenue (2021) $76.1 millionexpenses (2021)$51.5 millionwebsitewww.arthritis.org arthritis foundation headquarters in atlanta, georgia the arthritis foundation works to provide information and resources, improve access to care, make advancements in scientific research and offer opportunities for community connections. nationally and through local offices nationwide, the arthritis foundation sponsors a variety of year-round events to raise funds and awareness, from local walks and runs to dinners, galas and other fundraisers. over the years the arthritis foundation has invested over $500 million toward medical research for more effective treatments and ultimately a cure. in addition, the organization advocates for changes to health care policies, legislation and government-funded research to improve the lives of individuals and families affected by arthritis. the arthritis foundation is a major partner of the childhood arthritis and rheumatology research alliance (carra), working to improve health outcomes of children with juvenile arthritis and other pediatric rheumatic diseases. the foundation has partnered with the food and drug administration (fda) to accelerate drug development for osteoarthritis, as well as partnered with the national institutes of health (nih) on advancements for other types of arthritis. resources the arthritis foundation provides information and numerous resources to help people with arthritis manage their condition, including in-person and virtual support groups, some of which focus on specific interests. walk with ease is a proven arthritis foundation program that helps make physical activity part of everyday life. your exercise solution consists of a series of videos users can access to customize personal plans for movement goals, including modifications for specific conditions and limitations. the foundation creates webinars, podcasts and other opportunities to educate people with arthritis and their caregivers on a variety of topics. the arthritis foundation’s ease of use certification program recognizes and certifies products and packaging that have been tested and approved as easy to use by anyone with physical limitations. the foundation’s arthritis@work initiative offers turnkey tools and resources to support employees with arthritis in existing corporate wellness programs. the arthritis foundation’s cause is represented by over 100,000 volunteer advocates and ambassadors, who contribute their voices to forming policies and laws that benefit patients with arthritis and other chronic illnesses. the foundation has also formed a partnership with the department of veterans affairs to support veterans and retired military personnel with arthritis. access and advocacy the arthritis foundation holds the annual advocacy summit, in which arthritis advocates converge in washington, d.c., to meet with capitol hill lawmakers. participants tell their stories and put a human face on arthritis pain. they continue to urge elected officials to join the congressional arthritis caucus, chaired by reps. david mckinley (r-wv) and anna eshoo (d-ca). the caucus serves as a bipartisan forum to aid senators and representatives in working together to address arthritis. tools used by the foundation for advocacy include state-by-state arthritis prevalence data, regular issue briefs, e-advocacy opportunities, a health care reform q&a, and sample letters and tips to raise awareness about arthritis. types of arthritis the arthritis foundation offers information and assistance for the more than 100 types of the disease, including conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile arthritis, gout, fibromyalgia and psoriatic arthritis. community events and programs community events and programs run by the arthritis foundation help educate the public about the realities of arthritis, raise funds and awareness, and encourage people with arthritis to manage their joint pain and improve overall health. nationwide activities include walk to cure arthritis, jingle bell run/walk, in addition, the arthritis foundation hosts dinners, galas and other specialty parties to raise funds for the foundation's efforts. the arthritis foundation has held its annual educational signature event, the national juvenile arthritis (ja) conference, since 1984. each summer, this four-day conference brings together families from across the country who have a child diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (jia) or related childhood rheumatic condition. besides opportunities for children, parents, siblings and other caregivers to interact with other families dealing with ja, the conference features medical experts and sessions to educate participants. young adults who were diagnosed with ja or a related disease as a child are also invited. in the u.s., an estimated 300,000 children have been diagnosed with this rare disease in its many forms (about 1 in 1,000) . the arthritis foundation supports camps for kids and teens with ja to meet others with similar challenges and to bond and grow with each other. the foundation also offers its free ja power pack to families of those newly diagnosed with the condition. history organized in 1948 as the arthritis and rheumatism foundation, the organization's name was changed in 1964 to the arthritis foundation. the following year, the american rheumatism association (ara) merged with the foundation. in 1965, an additional professional society, allied health professions, was established within the foundation; its name was changed to the arthritis health professions association (ahpa) in 1980. the american juvenile arthritis organization (ajao) was established in 1981 as a membership group within the foundation; in 1991, ajao became a council of the foundation. in 1986, the ara became a separate, independent organization and now is known as the american college of rheumatology (acr). in 1994, the ahpa became a division of the acr and changed its name to the association of rheumatology health professionals. the arthritis foundation is headquartered in atlanta, georgia, and has more than 100 local offices nationwide. assets as of 2021 the arthritis foundation had total assets of $219,924,122. funding details funding details as of 2021: revenue and support as of 2021: $76.1 million contributions , and grants (78.4%) program service revenue (4.5%) investment income (5.7%) other revenue (11.4%) expenses as of 2021: $51.5 grants (13.4%) salaries, other compensation (44.3%) other expenses (42.3%) partnerships the arthritis foundation receives funding from its corporate partners, including abbvie, alpha omicron pi, american orthopaedic foot and ankle society, american physical therapy association, amgen, boehringer ingelheim, bristol myers squibb, eli lilly and company, genentech, janssen, novartis, organon, pfizer, tylenol and ucb. ease of use commendation the arthritis foundation's ease of use commendation recognizes products proven to make life easier for people who have arthritis and other physical limitations. the arthritis foundation's ease of use commendation identifies products that have been tested and evaluated by experts and people with arthritis. companies which have had products accredited with the ease of use commendation include fiskars, melnor and acorn stairlifts. similar organizations arthritis australia - australia versus arthritis - uk arthritis consumer experts - canada spondylitis association of america- u.s.a. the arthritis society – canada the swedish rheumatism association - sweden