Request a Proclamation

Instructions

Please feel free to edit this message to share your experience with food allergies. The more personal your message is, the more likely we are to get a response from your governor. Copy and paste your finished letter into the contact form or email you send to your governor's office, along with the template proclamation found below. Click here for links to each state's proclamation request page.

Message

The Honorable [Full Name] 
Governor of [State Name] 
[State Capitol Address] 
[City, State ZIP Code]

[Date]

Dear Governor [Last Name],

On behalf of the one in 10 residents with food allergies of our state, I am writing to request that a proclamation be issued this year for FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK, May 10-16, 2026.

Food allergies are a life-changing, serious and increasingly prevalent disease that affects more than 33 million people in the United States. One in every 13 children has food allergy, which is approximately two children in every U.S. classroom. In the U.S., emergency medical treatment for severe allergic reactions to food increased 377 percent in just one decade. Every 10 seconds, food allergy sends a patient to the emergency room. And food allergies are costly—a 2013 study found that childhood food allergy costs U.S. families $24.8 billion for childhood food allergy ($4,184 per year, per child). A more recent study estimated the societal costs to be $370 billion, with an annual cost of $22,000 per affected individual.

There is no cure for food allergy. Allergic reactions to food can range from mild symptoms to anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction that can occur rapidly and is potentially life-threatening. 

With your support in declaring FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK, we can continue to increase public awareness about food allergy. It is our goal to help educate schools, restaurants and the citizens of our state on the serious and potentially life-threatening nature of food allergy.

Please find below a draft of a proposed Proclamation for FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK for the week of May 10-16, 2026, to help build recognition and support for individuals and families managing food allergy. You may send the proclamation to:

FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education)
Attention: FAAW
7901 Jones Branch Drive, Suite 240
McLean, VA  22102

On behalf of all those affected by this life-altering disease, thank you for your consideration and support.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
 

Proclamation

WHEREAS, more than 33 million Americans live with food allergies, including nearly 6 million children under the age of 18; and

WHEREAS, research shows that the prevalence of food allergies continues to increase among both children and adults; and

WHEREAS, nine foods cause the majority of all food allergy reactions in the United States — shellfish, fish, milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, wheat, and sesame — and food allergy reactions can range from mild symptoms to severe, potentially life-threatening reactions such as anaphylaxis; and

WHEREAS, anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that occurs rapidly and may cause death if not treated promptly; and

WHEREAS, every 10 seconds, food allergies send a patient to the emergency room, often as a result of unknowingly consuming a food containing an allergen; and

WHEREAS, emergency medical treatment for severe food allergy reactions has increased by 377 percent over the past decade; and

WHEREAS, childhood food allergies cost U.S. families an estimated $34 billion each year; and

WHEREAS, Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life and health of individuals with food allergies and providing them with hope through the promise of new treatments and research advancements;

Download a Word version of the message
Download a Word template of the proclamation