APTA is committed to using our national conferences and events as opportunities to make a positive impact on the local community and live our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Here are some of the actions and attendee opportunities we have lined up for APTA CSM in San Diego, Feb. 23-25.

Supporting Food Rescue

APTA will donate $10,000 to Feeding San Diego, the leading hunger-relief and food rescue organization in San Diego County. Feeding San Diego provides more than 35 million meals every year to children, families, seniors, college students, military families, veterans, people facing homelessness, and other underserved populations. 

Donating Blood

Wednesday and Thursday, APTA CSM attendees can donate blood to support the San Diego Blood Bank. Want to donate? Sign up through PT in the Community, a Foundation of the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy. Walk-ins also welcome.

Providing Care Packages

PT in the Comunity, a Foundation of the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, invites you to help assemble care packages Thursday, February 23, at the Hilton Bayfront in Aqua 313 from 1 to 3 p.m.

Raising Funds for Minority Scholarships

Tickets for the PT Fund Celebration of Diversity at the historic USS Midway, Thursday, February 23, benefit the APTA Minority Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to PT and PTA students and faculty of ethnic and racial minorities. Tickets can be purchased when registering for APTA CSM.

Welcoming HOSA

Special guests at APTA CSM will include representatives from HOSA, which actively promotes career opportunities in the health industry and provides unique experiences through experiential learning, real-world applicability, and networking. APTA is a HOSA partner.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

APTA is committed to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the association, profession, and society. In 2021, APTA's Board of Directors and House of Delegates committed our association to "pursue safe, inclusive experiences for attendees of national conferences/events" and "identify and promote opportunities for members and attendees to make a positive impact on the needs of vulnerable health populations" through those events.

The above opportunities to make a positive local impact are just a few of the ways our association will live our commitment to DEI at APTA CSM.

APTA CSM will continue to offer rooms for nursing mothers, all-gender restrooms, ASL interpretation upon request, and live captioning for our on-demand conference experience.

We also will make a land acknowledgment to recognize Indigenous peoples who are the original stewards of the land where the conference is being held and will invite local Indigenous peoples to visit with our attendees.

If you would like to learn more or get involved, please visit us in the APTA Pavilion in the exhibit hall at APTA CSM, or email dei@apta.org.