AllergyHome is proud to present FAACT (Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team). FAACT’s mission is to educate, advocate, and raise awareness for all individuals and families affected by food allergies and life-threatening anaphylaxis. Thank you FAACT for joining us!
Welcome to FAACT
Welcome to FAACT, your home and voice for food allergy education, advocacy, and awareness! Whether you are newly diagnosed or a long-time member of the allergy community, FAACT is your connection to other parents and adults affected by food allergies and life-threatening anaphylaxis.
FAACT Mission
FAACT’s mission is to educate, advocate, and raise awareness for all individuals and families affected by food allergies and life-threatening anaphylaxis. Whether it’s keeping children safe at school, responding to food allergy bullying, dealing with workplace issues, or simply taking the family out for a bite to eat, FAACT’s Web site has all the facts you need to manage food allergies and stay healthy.
FAACT’s President and CEO
FAACT’s President and CEO, Eleanor Garrow-Holding, is nationally recognized expert on food allergy and anaphylaxis. Her son Thomas has multiple, life-threatening food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), and asthma. “When Thomas was diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies at the age of 19 months, I became the parent of a newly diagnosed child. I was scared and overwhelmed, with no understanding of why this was happening to my family. I felt alone. No one else I knew had food allergies. But, I knew that if I stayed strong and learned everything I could about food allergies, we would get through this together. I became an educated parent, which has allowed my son to live a happy, healthy life. For those of you who are managing a new diagnosis, I have been there with you.
Helping other families through the years has meant so much to me, and I knew there was much more to be done. The need for education, grassroots outreach, civil rights advocacy in schools, and family programs is why I founded FAACT. I wanted to create a place where you can find the information you need – right now – to manage day-to-day life.”
FAACT’s Plans
FAACT has many exciting plans for this year, including a variety of conferences and Camp TAG (The Allergy Gang). These events are a wonderful opportunity for parents, teens, children, and family members to connect with others affected by food allergy, and to get involved with education and advocacy initiatives. More information about upcoming FAACT events appears below.
Camp TAG (The Allergy Gang)
Camp TAG provides a safe place for children with food allergies and eosinophilic disorders and their siblings to have fun – with no worries about allergic reactions – and meet other children who share similar experiences. It is a bonding and empowering week for all campers, including parents.
Camp TAG will be held in in Williamstown, New Jersey from July 28 to August 1, 2014. Registration closes Friday, July 18! You may download and print the Camp TAG Application & Health Form and e-mail your completed forms to [email protected] or fax them to (513) 342-1239.
Teens with food allergies and/or teen siblings ages 13-17 as well as adults ages 18+ who are interested in Volunteer Counselor positions, please e-mail [email protected] for an application.
There will be a FREE, 90-minute education session offered on Wednesday, July 30, by Eleanor Garrow-Holding, FAACT CEO, and Amelia Smith Murphree, FAACT General Counsel and Vice President of Civil Rights Advocacy, from 9:45 a.m. to 11:15a.m. for parents who want to learn more about food allergy management in the school setting, including 504 Plans, IHPs, IEPs, and anaphylaxis training. Take-home materials will also be provided.
Learn more and read testimonials from Camp TAG families here.
FAACT’s Food Allergy Conferences
FAACT’s annual Food Allergy Conferences provide a full day of educational sessions led by leading medical professionals and food allergy advocates. The conferences offer education and support for parents, grandparents, school personnel, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and teens.
Each conference will include specialized breakout sessions, including a session specifically for adults who have food allergies. Keynote speakers will be members of FAACT’s Medical Advisory Board presenting on food allergy and anaphylaxis management, as well as the latest food allergy research. There will be workshops for nurses, registered dietitians & school food service personnel, parents & school personnel, and adults with food allergies. There will be sessions about transitioning through the school years while living with food allergies, baking demo sessions with leading allergy cookbook authors, and much, much more. See our Workshops, Sessions, & Partners page and our Conference Schedule page for more details.
Teens and their siblings (ages 11-18) will be together the entire day, sharing experiences, participating in team-building activities, and learning from leading healthcare professionals and advocates.
Civil Rights Advocacy
One of FAACT’s main focuses is civil rights advocacy in the classroom. Every child has the right to safely and equally participate in school activities alongside non-allergic children.
You can help by advocating for your child’s rights well before the start of the next school year by visiting FAACT’s Civil Rights Advocacy Resource Center for free resources and documents you can download and print. FAACT can also help connect you with civil rights experts in your area.
FAACT’s Civil Rights Advocacy Center staff are also available FREE of charge to answer your questions and assist you in seeking accommodations for your child at school. For questions or more information, please contact Amelia Smith Murphree, FAACT’s General Counsel and Vice President of Civil Rights Advocacy.
Join the FAACT Family!
Your support helps us continue our mission and help other families living with food allergies, whether they are newly diagnosed or food allergy veterans. The generous support of individuals like you makes it possible for our organization to exist and to make the community a safer place to live.
By becoming a patron, you are supporting the 15 million Americans who have food allergies – 6 million of whom are children. You are providing education and outreach materials to individuals and families who need our help. You are connecting with other people who live it and get it. And, you are ensuring that the voices of people living with food allergies and anaphylaxis will continue to be heard by decision-makers across the country.
We would love to hear from you with suggestions, needs, and ideas or if you just need your voice to be heard. We all empower and inspire one another, and we are all connected by living with food allergies and anaphylaxis every day. FAACT is here for you. Welcome to the FAACT Family!
