An area nonprofit established in 2020 to conduct widespread COVID-19 testing throughout San Antonio is again with plans to use its experience to a longer-standing public well being menace within the metropolis: diabetes.
Group Labs carried out COVID-19 exams freed from cost at lots of of areas in San Antonio from 2020 by way of 2023. Now, the nonprofit is piloting a diabetes screening mission, providing free A1C exams for fogeys and their youngsters at numerous college occasions.
Almost 17% of Bexar County residents 18 and older have been identified with diabetes, greater than the state common of 14%, based on a 2025 report from town’s Metropolitan Well being District.
Over 40 million individuals within the U.S. have diabetes, a persistent illness characterised by excessive blood sugar ranges. A good portion of individuals with diabetes and a fair bigger share of these with prediabetes are unaware of their situation, based on the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
Moreover, A1C exams may be dear at drugstores with out insurance coverage protection — points that Group Labs is aiming to handle with its new marketing campaign.
From COVID swabs to finger pricks
Group Labs was established in 2020 with $1.5 million in funding and a lean workers to coordinate large-scale PCR COVID-19 testing. The nonprofit was chaired by Graham Weston, former head of Rackspace Internet hosting and founding father of the 80/20 Basis, considered one of three organizations that helped launch the nonprofit.
The duty was to supply free testing and fast outcomes, with the last word aim of catching instances earlier than they might unfold and serving to preserve faculties open.
On the peak of the pandemic, Group Labs was working in 14 San Antonio college districts, in addition to some companies and public websites owned by town.
“The logistics of holding monitor of 300 areas each week had been wonderful,” mentioned Sal Webber, the nonprofit’s president.
In 2023, Group Labs halted operations because the pandemic waned and the state discontinued surveillance testing in faculties. Nonprofit leaders began enthusiastic about how they might apply their newly-gained experience to different public well being points going through town.
After conversations with metropolis and academic leaders, they landed on diabetes, a long-standing well being subject that Bexar County residents face at a lot greater charges on common than the remainder of the state and nation.
Free exams the place households already collect
Group Labs carried out pilot runs of its diabetes testing program in 2025, organising at school gyms, libraries and different areas at native college occasions. The nonprofit affords A1C diabetes exams, that are blood exams that measure common ranges of blood glucose over the previous three months.
It’s a major check for detecting prediabetes and diabetes, in addition to ongoing administration for individuals already identified with diabetes.
Greater than 1 in 4 adults with diabetes don’t know they’ve it, and eight in 10 individuals with prediabetes are unaware, based on CDC information. A traditional A1C stage is under 5.7%, with 5.7% to six.4% indicating prediabetes and 6.5% or above indicating diabetes.
A screening end result isn’t a prognosis, although. Underneath American Diabetes Affiliation requirements, diabetes can’t be identified from a finger-prick check alone. Situations resembling anemia, being pregnant or sickle cell trait may skew A1C readings greater or decrease.
The nonprofit’s concept was to supply the exams freed from cost and in locations the place people had been already going, making it extra handy than organising a health care provider’s appointment, and encourage people who’ve higher-than-average ranges to observe up with a major care physician.
Nonprofit leaders didn’t know the way prepared or individuals could be to have their fingers pricked at these occasions. Mother and father had been extra and appreciative of the chance to get their rating freed from cost than they anticipated, Webber mentioned.
“Individuals stroll up and say, ‘My sister has diabetes and I’ve by no means had my A1C rating, I’d actually wish to know.’ We’re offering that info in the identical means we did throughout COVID,” he mentioned.
Thus far, the nonprofit has examined roughly 500 individuals. Round 38% of these examined had ranges indicating prediabetes or diabetes, the next portion than the nonprofit had anticipated, Webber mentioned. For these from ZIP codes on the South Facet, that share was nearer to 50%, reflecting geographic well being disparities in San Antonio.
Group Labs companions with the Social and Well being Analysis Heart (SAHRC), a neighborhood well being nonprofit centered on addressing persistent illness, together with diabetes, in Bexar County. SAHRC supplies sources and knowledge for individuals who discover out they’ve excessive blood glucose scores.
Group Labs is presently self-funding its pilot program, with plans to assemble extra information and perception this fall on what this might appear like in the long run with sustained funding.
“There are individuals strolling round, they’ve a member of the family that’s near them that has diabetes, and so they have a query over their head: ‘Do I even have it?’” Webber mentioned. “It’s an analogous state of affairs as COVID, in that individuals have a query, and we’re giving them a fast reply.”
Disclosure: Group Labs and the 80|20 Basis are enterprise members of the San Antonio Report. See a full checklist of our enterprise members right here.
