Lung Cancer Research Foundation

THE MISSION OF THE LUNG CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION IS TO IMPROVE LUNG CANCER OUTCOMES BY FUNDING RESEARCH FOR THE PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND CURE OF LUNG CANCER.

RESEARCH:DESPITE BEING THE LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER MORTALITY, LUNG CANCER RECEIVES FAR LESS RESEARCH FUNDING PER DEATH. LUNG CANCER RECEIVES $3,580 PER DEATH COMPARED TO BREAST CANCER AT $19,050, PROSTATE CANCER AT $8,116, AND PANCREATIC CANCER AT $4,796. THAT IS WHY FUNDING FROM NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IS SO CRITICAL. THE LUNG CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION (LCRF) PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THIS FUNDING LANDSCAPE, SUPPORTING EARLY-CAREER INVESTIGATORS WHO, IF NOT FOR OUR FUNDING, MAY NOT RECEIVE FUNDING AT ALL. SINCE 2005, THE LUNG CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION, AND ITS PROGENITOR ORGANIZATIONS, HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO FUNDING CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH THAT TRANSFORMS THE LUNG CANCER TREATMENT LANDSCAPE. WHEN WE FIRST OPENED OUR DOORS, OUR MISSION WAS SIMPLE: PROVIDE HOPE BY FUNDING THE BEST RESEARCH AND HELP BRING IT TO PEOPLE. WE HAVE BEEN WILDLY SUCCESSFUL. IN 16 YEARS, WE HAVE BECOME ONE OF THE LARGEST PRIVATE FUNDERS OF LUNG CANCER RESEARCH ENABLING EARLIER DETECTION, DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE MECHANISMS THAT ALLOW LUNG CANCER TO FORM, AND NEW AND EXPANDED TREATMENT OPTIONS THAT HAVE SAVED MANY LIVES. SIMULTANEOUSLY, OUR SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD HAS BECOME ONE OF THE PREEMINENT BODIES IN THE LUNG CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNITY. FURTHERMORE, OUR INVESTMENT IN EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATORS CONTINUES TO ALLOW NEW TALENT TO THRIVE AND GROW IN THE SPACE AS IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH FOLLOW-ON FUNDING MANY HAVE RECEIVED SINCE RECEIVING THEIR LCRF GRANT. TO DATE, LCRF HAS PROVIDED 394 RESEARCH GRANTS TOTALING NEARLY $39 MILLION, THE LARGEST AMOUNT PROVIDED BY A NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO FUNDING LUNG CANCER RESEARCH. THE SUPPORT WITHIN THE PATIENT COMMUNITY, RESEARCHERS, STRATEGIC PARTNERS, AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS IS KEY TO OUR PRESENT SUCCESSES AS WELL AS ACHIEVING OUR FUTURE VISION TO FIND AN EVENTUAL CURE FOR LUNG CANCER. DURING 2021 WE FUNDED ELEVEN (11) RESEARCH GRANTS; SIX (6) FOR TWO YEARS AT $150,000 EACH AND FIVE (5) FOR TWO YEARS AT $180,000 EACH. FOUR (4) RESEARCH GRANTS WERE FUNDED THROUGH THE LCRF PILOT GRANT PROGRAM WHICH FUNDS INNOVATIVE PROJECTS ACROSS THE FULL SPECTRUM OF BASIC, TRANSLATIONAL, CLINICAL, EPIDEMIOLOGICAL, HEALTH SERVICES, AND RESEARCH FOCUSED ON A MYRIAD OF TOPICS. THE PROJECTS FUNDED SPAN THREE COUNTRIES AND TOPICS INCLUDING: MANIPULATING THE FUNCTIONS OF T CELLS IN LUNG TUMOR DRAINING LYMPH NODES TARGETING LUNG LINEAGE PLASTICITY TO SUPPRESS OSIMERTINIB-INDUCED DRUG-TOLERANT PERSISTERS USING CD4+ T CELLS TO TARGET THE TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT IN NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER ELUCIDATING THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF RADON-INDUCED LUNG CANCER THROUGH A NOVEL MOUSE MODELTWO (2) RESEARCH GRANTS WERE FUNDED THROUGH THE LCRF DISPARITIES IN LUNG CANCER PROGRAM WHICH FUNDS RESEARCH THAT ADDRESSES CERTAIN DISPARITIES THAT INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO RACE AND GENDER-DEPENDENT DIFFERENCES; SOCIAL AND BIOLOGICAL RISK FACTORS; NEVER SMOKERS; EQUITY AND ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE; AND IMPACTS OF GEOGRAPHY, AGE, AND SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ON OUTCOMES. THE PROJECTS FUNDED SPAN TWO COUNTRIES AND TOPICS INCLUDING: USING SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH TO PREDICT ADHERENCE OF LUNG CANCER SCREENING IN MINORITY HIGH-RISK SMOKERS INVESTIGATING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN AIR POLLUTION AND EGFR MUTANT NEVER-SMOKER LUNG CANCERIN PARTNERSHIP WITH ASTRAZENECA, LCRF AWARDED ANOTHER FIVE (5) RESEARCH GRANTS FOCUSED ON UNDERSTANDING EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR (EGFR) INHIBITOR AND IMMUNOTHERAPY RESISTANCE, TOTALING $900,000; GIVING EACH PROJECT $180,000 OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD. THE PROJECTS FUNDED INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: SUBCLONE CAPTURE SEQUENCING TO GUIDE COMBINATION THERAPY AND IMPROVE OSIMERTINIB RESPONSE TARGETING TUMOR-IMMUNE MICROENVIRONMENT TO IMPROVE DURVALUMAB EFFICACY IN SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER DISSECTING THE ROLE OF THE KEAP1 PATHWAY IN MEDIATING THERAPEUTIC SENSITIVITY IN EGFR-DRIVEN LUNG ADENOCARCINOMA INVESTIGATING THE ER ACETYL-COA TRANSPORTER AS A PUTATIVE METABOLIC DEPENDENCY OF MUTANT EGFR LUNG CANCER TARGETING YAP/TEAD BYPASS ACTIVATION IN OSIMERTINIB-INDUCED DRUG TOLERANT CELLS: A STRATEGY TO OVERCOMING TUMOR RECURRENCE AND THERAPEUTIC RESISTANCE IN EGFR-MUTANT NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCERSIN ADDITION TO THE DIRECT RESEARCH FUNDING PROVIDED THROUGH THE LCRF PILOT AND LCRF DISPARITIES GRANT TRACKS, THE FOUNDATION IS CURRENTLY ADMINISTRATING RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS WITH PFIZER GLOBAL MEDICAL GRANTS AND THE LUNG CANCER MUTATION CONSORTIUM.THE LCRF AND PFIZER GLOBAL MEDICAL COLLABORATION TO FUND OVER $1 MILLION IN RESEARCH GRANTS THROUGH A COMPETITIVE RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM WAS STARTED IN 2019 AND CONTINUED THROUGH 2021. THE RESEARCH GRANT OPPORTUNITY FOCUSED ON UNDERSTANDING WAYS TO IMPROVE CLINICAL PRACTICES FOR SIDE EFFECT MANAGEMENT FOR NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER (NSCLC) PATIENTS RECEIVING TARGETED THERAPIES. THIS IS THE FIRST COLLABORATION OF ITS KIND IN LUNG CANCER AND COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON PATIENT CARE. THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN LCRF AND PFIZER FUNDED FOUR (4) RESEARCH GRANTS COVERING TOPICS SUCH AS: REAL-TIME MONITORING AND MODELING OF SYMPTOMS AND ADVERSE EVENTS IN LUNG CANCER PATIENTS RECEIVING ORAL TARGETED THERAPIES FOR TUMORS WITH ONCOGENIC DRIVER MUTATIONS DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF 4R CARE SEQUENCES IN PATIENTS WITH NSCLC RECEIVING TARGETED THERAPIES IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES FOR MONITORING ADHERENCE IN REAL-TIME (ISMART) PROACTIVE MONITORING OF TREATMENT-RELATED ADVERSE EVENTS THROUGH A MOBILE APPLICATION IN NSCLC PATIENTS TREATED WITH TYROSINE KINASE INHIBITORS: THE "EMPOWER ME" DIGITAL THERAPEUTIC STUDY.LCRF'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LUNG CANCER MUTATION CONSORTIUM (LCMC) DATES BACK TO 2011 COVERING THREE CLINICAL TRIALS. THE LCMC2 CLINICAL TRIAL ENROLLED 1,000 PATIENTS VIA A NETWORK OF FOURTEEN (14) NOTABLE DOMESTIC CLINICAL RESEARCH SITES. THE CLINICAL TRIAL STUDIED THE IMPACT OF SMOKING AND TP53 MUTATIONS IN LUNG ADENOCARCINOMA PATIENTS WITH TARGETABLE MUTATIONS. THE LCMC3 CLINICAL TRIAL BEGAN IN 2017 AND HAS ENROLLED 1,000 PATIENTS VIA A NETWORK OF FIVE (5) DOMESTIC CLINICAL RESEARCH SITES. LCMC3 IS DESIGNED AS A NEOADJUVANT AND ADJUVANT TRIAL OF IMMUNE CHECKPOINT BLOCKADE FOR STAGE IB-IIIA NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER. FINAL REPORTING FROM THIS CLINICAL TRIAL SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN ALTER 2021 OR EARLY 2022. LAUNCHED IN LATE 2020, LCMC4 WILL BE A STUDY OF 1,000 PATIENTS VIA A NETWORK OF 25+ DOMESTIC CLINICAL RESEARCH SITES. THE GOAL OF THE CLINICAL TRIAL IS TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF COMPREHENSIVE MOLECULAR PROFILING TO DETECT ACTIONABLE ONCOGENIC DRIVERS IN PATIENTS WITH SUSPECTED EARLY-STAGE LUNG CANCERS SCHEDULED TO UNDERGO BIOPSIES TO ESTABLISH THE DIAGNOSIS OF LUNG CANCER. IN 2021, OUR RESEARCH INVESTMENT WAS FUNDED WITHOUT THE NEED FOR DEFICIT SPENDING, AND WE ARE POISED TO GROW OUR RESEARCH INVESTMENT IN THE COMING YEARS.

PATIENT EDUCATION & OUTREACH:THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE LUNG CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION (LCRF)'S PATIENT EDUCATIONAL PORTFOLIO IS TO PROVIDE RELEVANT AND ACCURATE INFORMATION ON LUNG CANCER USING PATIENT-FRIENDLY LANGUAGE. OUR PATIENT EDUCATION MATERIALS ARE TO HELP PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES BETTER UNDERSTAND LUNG CANCER, LEARN ABOUT TREATMENT OPTIONS, MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT CLINICAL TRIALS, AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF COMPREHENSIVE BIOMARKER TESTING. PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS NEED INFORMATION AT ALL STEPS IN THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, FROM DIAGNOSIS THROUGH TREATMENT AND BEYOND. THE LUNG CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION HAS A PORTFOLIO OF EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES TO HELP PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES BETTER UNDERSTAND LUNG CANCER AND LEARN ABOUT THEIR TREATMENT OPTIONS. HELPING PATIENTS TO UNDERSTAND NEW TREATMENTS AND THE HOPE OFFERED BY THESE TREATMENT ADVANCES ARE KEY OBJECTIVES OF OUR EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS. WE ALSO HAVE MATERIALS DESIGNED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE MAGNITUDE OF LUNG CANCER AS A HEALTH CARE PROBLEM AND WAYS TO IDENTIFY SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE. IN 2021, LCRF DISTRIBUTED OVER 105,000 EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO LUNG CANCER PATIENTS, CAREGIVERS, ADVOCATES AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS ACROSS THE NATION IN BOTH PRINT AND DIGITAL FORMAT. OUR WEBSITE ALSO CONTAINS LINKS TO INFORMATION AND RESOURCES, WHICH RECEIVES ON AVERAGE OF MORE THAN 24,000 PAGEVIEWS ANNUALLY. OUR CONTINUED GOAL IS TO STEADILY INCREASE OUR MATERIALS DISTRIBUTED, PARTICULARLY WITH DIGITAL DOWNLOADS AS THERE HAS BEEN A SURGE IN DEMAND FOR READILY AVAILABLE INFORMATION. THE KEY OBJECTIVES OF THE PORTFOLIO ARE TO:- EMPOWER PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS BY INCREASING THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF LUNG CANCER, TESTING AND TREATMENT OPTIONS - PROVIDE AN UP-TO-DATE AND CREDIBLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON TREATMENT OPTIONS AND EDUCATE PATIENTS ON WHAT TO EXPECT FROM TREATMENT AND WHAT WILL BE CRITICAL FOR BEST OUTCOMES. - PROVIDE TOOLS TO FACILITATE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN PATIENTS AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS. - EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE MAGNITUDE OF LUNG CANCER AS A HEALTH CARE PROBLEM AND WAYS TO IDENTIFY SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE. - SHARE PROGRESS AND IMPACT OF RESEARCH (INCLUDING THAT WHICH IS FUNDED BY LCRF), AND EXPLAIN WHY FUNDING RESEARCH IS CRUCIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TREATMENTS FOR LUNG CANCER - ENSURE THAT THE MATERIALS ARE CULTURALLY APPLICABLE, APPROPRIATE LITERACY LEVELS, AND ACCESSIBLE FOR MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS. - ENGAGE PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS IN DISCUSSION OF LUNG CANCER RESEARCH AND ITS INFLUENCE ON SCREENING, TREATMENT ADVANCES, AND HEALTH OUTCOMESTHE PATIENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS REVIEW COMMITTEE (PEPRC) ASSISTS IN THE EVALUATION OF MATERIALS USED FOR LCRF'S PATIENT SUPPORT AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS, AND OTHER PATIENT-FACING INITIATIVES. THE PEPRC CONSISTS OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY EXPERTS SUCH AS ONCOLOGISTS, RESEARCHERS, NURSES, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND LUNG CANCER PATIENTS/SURVIVORS. PEPRC ALSO AIDS IN SHAPING THE OVERALL STRATEGY BY LENDING THEIR RESPECTIVE EXPERTISE IN THE FIELD. THE PATIENT EDUCATIONAL PORTFOLIO IS ALSO CRAFTED WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVE FROM OUR COMMUNITY. OUR MATERIALS ARE RATED ON AVERAGE A 4.6/5 ACCORDING TO THE FEEDBACK COLLECTED FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO DOWNLOAD OR ORDER OUR PRINT MATERIALS ON OUR WEBSITE. SAMPLE FEEDBACK INCLUDES:THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING FREE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES. I AM A THORACIC NURSE NAVIGATOR AND PROVIDE THESE TO ALL OF MY LUNG CANCER PATIENTS. MY PATIENTS LIKE AND APPRECIATE THEM VERY MUCH.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION TO PEOPLE TRYING TO NAVIGATE A LUNG CANCER DIAGNOSIS AND ALL THE STRESS RELATED TO THE ENTIRE PROCESS.MY MOTHER WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG CANCER. VERY HEARTBREAKING AND A SURPRISE TO US ALL. HEARD NOTHING BUT GOOD REVIEWS ABOUT LCRF SO I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING ABOUT EVERYTHING AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL DO.LUNG CANCER SUPPORT LINEOUR LUNG CANCER SUPPORT LINE IS A TOLL-FREE NUMBER (844)-835-4325, IS AVAILABLE TO ANYONE AFFECTED BY LUNG CANCER, PRIMARILY LUNG CANCER PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS. THE SUPPORT LINE OPERATES MONDAY-FRIDAY 9AM-5PM ET AND IS EQUIPPED WITH EXTENSIVE AND UP-TO-DATE RESOURCE GUIDES FOR COMMON NEEDS AND SERVICES FOR LUNG CANCER PATIENTS SUCH AS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, TRANSPORTATION OR LODGING TO/FROM MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, SUPPORT GROUPS, AND MUCH MORE. LUNG CANCER PATIENTS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS MAY CALL OR EMAIL THE PROGRAM AS OFTEN AS THEY WISH, AND THE SERVICE IS OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE. THE LUNG CANCER SUPPORT LINE HELPS FILL AN UNMET NEED BY PROVIDING PERSONALIZED, ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT TO CALLERS WHO ARE FACING THE CHALLENGES OF LUNG CANCER. IN 2021, WE ASSISTED OVER 125 PATIENTS WITH LUNG CANCER AND THEIR CAREGIVERS THROUGH THE SUPPORT LINE, WITH AN ADDITIONAL 2,000 FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS FROM LCRF STAFF. OVER HALF OF CALLERS ARE NEWLY DIAGNOSED PATIENTS OR CAREGIVERS OF THOSE WHO ARE RECENTLY DIAGNOSED, PROVING THAT THE SUPPORT LINE PROVIDES A TIMELY SERVICE FOR THOSE SEEKING SUPPORT. THE REMAINDER OF SUPPORT LINE INQUIRIES COME IN FROM HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS OR COMMUNITY-BASED INSTITUTIONS LOOKING FOR RESOURCES FOR THEIR PATIENTS. OUR CONTINUED GOAL FOR THE SUPPORT LINE IS TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNICATION WITH THOSE WHO ARE NEWLY DIAGNOSED AND ENGAGED IN OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. WE ALSO HOPE TO INCREASE OUR SUPPORT LINE REACH BY 20% OVER THE NEXT YEAR VIA TARGETED OUTREACH AND PROMOTION OF OUR SERVICES. THROUGH THE SUPPORT LINE, WE PROVIDE:- A CENTRAL HUB FOR ACCESSING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, PATIENT-SPECIFIC LOCAL AND NATIONAL RESOURCES- ACCURATE AND UP-TO-DATE EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION AND MATERIALS - OFFER PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS AND BECOME ENGAGED IN THE LCRF LUNG CANCER COMMUNITY#TOGETHERSEPARATELY SERIES LUNG CANCER AWARENESS, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY SUFFERS IN COMPARISON TO SOME OTHER DISEASES BECAUSE OF THE POOR PROGNOSIS AS WELL AS THE STIGMA PATIENTS MAY FACE GIVEN THE ASSOCIATION WITH SMOKING. ADVANCES IN TREATMENTS, HOWEVER, HAVE GIVEN PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS NEW HOPE AND MANY ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING TOGETHER TO "MAKE A DIFFERENCE" IN THEIR OWN LUNG CANCER JOURNEY AS WELL AS IN THEIR BROADER COMMUNITY. AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE #TOGETHERSEPARATELY LIVE VIRTUAL SERIES IS THE ABILITY OF PATIENTS/SURVIVORS AND CAREGIVERS TO CONNECT AND RE-CONNECT WITH OTHERS WHO ARE LIVING WITH LUNG CANCER. WE WANT PATIENTS TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE AND THAT WE ARE WORKING TO SUPPORT THE LUNG CANCER COMMUNITY. THIS LIVE MEETING FORMAT GIVES HOPE TO PARTICIPANTS THROUGH THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET LUNG CANCER RESEARCHERS AND SPEAK TO RESEARCHERS ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS AND NEEDS. THESE NEEDS BECAME EVEN MORE EVIDENT WITH THE ONSET OF THE COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC IN MARCH 2020 THAT SHAPED THE WAY WE LIVE AND RECEIVE MEDICAL CARE. MANY LUNG CANCER PATIENTS EXPRESSED THEIR FEELINGS OF ISOLATION AND DESIRE FOR UPDATES ON CURRENT LUNG CANCER AND COVID-19 RELATED INFORMATION. THIS INSPIRED THE SERIES TO PROVIDE BOTH A CONNECTION WITH THE BROADER LUNG CANCER COMMUNITY AS WELL AS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LUNG CANCER RELATED TOPICS. BY THE END OF EACH EVENT IN THE SERIES, NEW FRIENDSHIPS HAVE FORMED, INFORMATION HAS BEEN EXCHANGED, AND EVERYONEINCLUDING USLEAVES ENERGIZED AND INSPIRED. THE LEARNING OBJECTIVES OF THE LIVE VIRTUAL SERIES ARE: - LEARN THE FUNDAMENTALS OF LUNG CANCER AND TREATMENT OPTIONS - UNDERSTAND WHY FUNDING RESEARCH IS CRUCIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW THERAPIES FOR PATIENTS - LEARN ABOUT PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE LUNG CANCER COMMUNITY - CONNECT PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS WITH LEADING PHYSICIANS IN THE FIELD OF LUNG CANCER - BUILD AND FOSTER COMMUNITY AMONG PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN MARCH 2020, WE HAD ALMOST 3,500 REGISTRANTS FOR AT LEAST ONE OF OUR #TOGETHERSEPARATELY EVENTS WITH AN AVERAGE ATTENDANCE RECORD OF OVER 100 INDIVIDUALS PER WEBINAR. MOST OF THE ATTENDEES IN THIS SERIES ARE LUNG CANCER PATIENTS, SURVIVORS, ADVOCATES, CAREGIVERS, AND COMMUNITY PROVIDERS. OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE THE SERIES AND PROVIDE 10-12 WEBINARS ANNUALLY ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS RELATED TO LIVING WITH LUNG CANCER. WE ALSO HAVE A COMPANION #TOGETHERSEPARELY SUPPORT GROUP ON FACEBOOK WHERE CONSTITUENTS CAN DEEPEN THEIR CONNECTIONS WITH EACH OTHER AND HAVE REGULAR INFORMATIONAL POSTS AND RESOURCES SHARED WITH THEM. CURRENTLY, THE FACEBOOK GROUP HAS 642 MEMBERS AND CONTINUES TO GROW EVERY MONTH. THIS ACTIVE GROUP HAS A STEADY ENGAGEMENT RATE BETWEEN 60-65% AND WE HOPE TO GROW THIS GROUP TO UP TO 800 MEMBERS BY THE END OF 2022.