Food Allergy Awareness Week 2019: Thank You!

FARE thanks everyone who helped elevate public understanding of food allergy during Food Allergy Awareness Week and throughout the month of May. As we look back on the many ways in which our community raised food allergy awareness, we take pride in the creativity and commitment shared by advocates and allies on behalf of the 32 million Americans with food allergy and all those managing this serious, potentially life-threatening disease.

Monuments Turn Teal: On Sunday, May 12, the top of the Empire State Building was lit in teal, the color of food allergy awareness. The “Most Famous Building in the World” joined nearly 60 landmarks that turned teal in May thanks to the efforts of Turn It Teal in the U.S., Canada, Australia, UK, Ireland, Jordan and Dubai.

Support group leader and past member of FARE’s Outcomes Research Advisory Board Jill Mindlin, along with her daughter, Maya, attended the lighting of the dome of Nassau County’s Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building in Mineola, NY. Thanks to Karen Contino for all of her efforts on Long Island!

Outreach to Congress: On Thursday, May 16, FARE hosted its first Virtual Hill Day, engaging more than 1,000 advocates to encourage their congressional representatives to co-sponsor the FASTER Act (HR2117), which would facilitate the labeling of sesame and other emerging food allergens and support the collection of data relating to food allergy prevalence and costs.

State Proclamations: Advocates in more than 30 states helped educate elected leaders and local communities by requesting official proclamations to recognize Food Allergy Awareness Week. From Omaha, eleven-year-old Niko Boulos participated in a proclamation ceremony with Gov. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska. Niko is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts and sesame.

In West Orange, NJ, the Township of West Orange council issued a proclamation recognizing Food Allergy Awareness Week, and the fifth grade council of Kelly Elementary School hosted a Food Allergy Awareness assembly.

Online Outreach: Social media campaigns come in all sizes. More than 30,000 of us viewed FARE’s “We Contain Courage” video released during Food Allergy Awareness Week.

Through FARE’s Volunteer Pathway, Omaima Owhaj reported sharing information about food allergy in Arabic with friends and groups on social media: “I got more responses than I thought, a lot of questions that I answered. People wants to know more about food allergy, especially in their language.” Omaima’s daughters rocked their teal at school for #TealTakeover on Thursday, May 16.

Young People Speak Out: Members of FARE’s Teen Advisory Group (TAG) made a difference by advocating in their schools and communities. In Green Bay, WI, Adel Schneider and her mom Kara offered the Be a PAL: Protect A Life educational program to elementary schools and promoted local fundraisers they are holding for FARE during a Food Allergy Awareness Week appearance on Local 5 Live.

High school junior Daytona Hodson traveled to a neighboring high school to raise food allergy awareness. This was his third year visiting local schools in Olathe, KS, to share information, encourage self-advocacy and combat food allergy bullying.

Autumn Schless, Miss Naugatuck Valley (CT) Outstanding Teen 2019, uses her platform to draw attention to food allergies. This May, she hosted a vendor fair and donated the $815 it raised to FARE.

And in Lafayette, CA, Amanda Young fought food allergies with food. She baked homemade treats with teal sprinkles, handed them out at school, explained to curious snackers that teal represents food allergy awareness, and shared how food allergies affect her life. Enjoying the treats here are Liz Anderson and Ainsley Woodford.

Kudos to everyone who helped us shine a light on this serious public health issue that affects one in 10 adults and one in 13 children in the U.S.

FARE thanks OWYN – Only What You Need for joining with us to support Food Allergy Awareness Week 2019.