Breakthrough T1D and Sub-Zero Group Foundation Announce National Partnership to Support Type 1 Diabetes Research

NEW YORK and MADISON, Wis., June 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Breakthrough T1D, formerly JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, and the Sub-Zero Group Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sub-Zero Group, manufacturer of Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove luxury appliances, proudly announce a new national partnership that will support Breakthrough T1D's mission to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat type 1 diabetes and its complications. The partnership represents deepened engagement between the two organizations and a shared focus on type 1 diabetes awareness and research.

"Breakthrough T1D is thrilled to welcome the Sub-Zero Group Foundation as a national partner and express our gratitude for their commitment to our mission," said Brett Collins, Breakthrough T1D vice president of corporate and institutional giving. "Sub-Zero's history of innovation aligns with Breakthrough T1D's focus on accelerating type 1 diabetes breakthroughs, with both rooted in improving the lives of those with type 1 diabetes as we drive toward cures for the disease. Partners like Sub-Zero are an essential part of the work we do every day to drive the progress that will make our mission possible." 

The Sub-Zero Group Foundation's philanthropic efforts are driven by the family-centric values that have been at the core of the organization since Sub-Zero's founding in 1945. At the heart of the partnership with Breakthrough T1D is the alignment with the Foundation's mission pillar focused on type 1 diabetes. Sub-Zero's history in refrigeration begins with type 1 diabetes, when company founder Westye F. Bakke sought to develop a reliable way to store his young son's insulin.  This personal drive has fueled the organization's decades-long commitment to giving back.

"Type 1 diabetes has been part of our story since the very beginning of Sub-Zero," said Jim Bakke, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sub-Zero Group. "What started as my grandfather's determination to care for his son grew into a company built on reliability, innovation, and purpose. Through the Sub-Zero Group Foundation, we are proud to deepen our partnership with Breakthrough T1D and support the critical research and advancements that give families hope for better treatments and, ultimately, cures."

The contributions of national partners like the Sub-Zero Group Foundation help fund research that is advancing early detection of type 1 diabetes as well as the development of disease-modifying therapies that can change the course of T1D, technology to help with day-to-day T1D management, treatments that address complications of T1D, and cell therapies that may one day cure the disease.

About Breakthrough T1D, Formerly JDRF
As the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, Breakthrough T1D helps make everyday life with type 1 diabetes better while driving toward cures. We do this by investing in the most promising research, advocating for progress by working with government to address issues that impact the T1D community, and helping educate and empower individuals facing this condition. 

About Sub-Zero Group Foundation
The Sub-Zero Group Foundation – formerly known as the Sub-Zero Wolf Foundation – is an independent, nonprofit philanthropic organization launched in 1997. Having invested more than $4M in local community organizations, the Foundation's mission is to foster innovation in the food ecosystem that increases community access to quality foods and invests in organizations that contribute to lifelong health. The focus areas of funding include juvenile diabetes, food security and community centers in Madison, Wisconsin and the greater Phoenix, Arizona area.

About Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) 
T1D is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all. This leads to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and long-term complications, which can include highs and lows in blood sugar; damage to the kidneys, eyes, nerves, and heart; and even death. Globally, it impacts 9.5 million people. Many believe T1D is only diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, but diagnosis in adulthood is common and accounts for nearly 50% of all T1D diagnoses. The onset of T1D has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. There is currently no cure for T1D. 

Contact:
Breakthrough T1D
Casey Fielder
509-651-0087
[email protected]

The Sub-Zero Group Foundation
[email protected]

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SOURCE Breakthrough T1D, Formerly JDRF