FAAW 2007 (May 13-19) was a great success! Thousands of people all over the country learned how to Be a PAL: Protect A Life™ from Food Allergies. To increase food allergy awareness, FAAN members made presentations in schools, held poster contests and fundraisers, passed out flyers and brochures, and even set up tables in pharmacies and booths at health fairs. Some highlights:

• 34 governors signed FAAW proclamations.
  
• More than 70 newspapers across the country ran articles about FAAW. Check out FAAN in the News to read a few.
  
• Food Allergy PAL™ Day fundraisers were held in many cities, with people wearing crazy hats, pajamas, and other fun outfits to raise money for FAAN.
  
• The Montgomery , N.J. , school district launched a Be A PAL program. They hung posters, decorated bulletin boards, showed the Alexander, the Elephant Who Wouldn’t Eat Peanuts video, sent home information sheets, ran articles in print and e-newsletters, and gave every student a PAL certificate.
  
• Members in Utah held scavenger hunts in local grocery stores, and had a formal ceremony for the signing of the FAAW proclamation.
  
• A member in Columbia , Md. , did a read-aloud of the book No Lobster, Please!, and held a puppet show for kids at the local Barnes & Noble.
  
• The Food Allergy Support Team of Texas hosted a meet-and-greet with the TV cartoon character Arthur at a local library to watch an episode that features food allergies. They also held a poster contest and other activities at local schools.
  
• A 9-year-old member in Upton , Mass. , decorated his third-grade class bulletin board, handed out bookmarks and PAL certificates, and told his class about anaphylactic reactions.
  
• A member in San Francisco set up a FAAN display table at a local Babies ‘R Us Babyfest.
  
• Teens wrote letters to the editor in Connecticut , visited brownie troops to teach them about food allergies in Ohio , and held a benefit concert in Minnesota .
  
• FAAN’s corporate members got involved, as well. For example, Food Lion held a “lunch-and-learn” at its headquarters to educate employees.

If you haven’t already done so, send in pictures and descriptions of what you and others did for Food Allergy Awareness Week, to FAAW@foodallergy.org.

Many thanks to all who participated. By working together, we are making a difference.

Go here for more information about FAAW 2007.