AllergyHome is proud to present FARE. FARE is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization that was formed from the merging of its founding organizations, Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network and the Food Allergy Initiative. FARE’s mission is to find a cure for food allergies, and to keep individuals with food allergies safe and included. Thank you FARE for posting!

Written by the FARE Team

Who is FARE?

Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) is the leading nonprofit organization working on behalf of the 15 million Americans with food allergy, including all those at risk for life-threatening anaphylaxis. Last November, FARE marked its one-year anniversary, but our organization has the distinction and honor of being founded by legacy organizations – the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network and the Food Allergy Initiative – that date back to the 1990s, giving us the benefit of having contributed to more than two decades of food allergy milestones.

Our (FARE’s)Mission

FARE’s mission is to find a cure for food allergies, and to keep individuals with food allergies safe and included.

We are the largest private funder of research to find a cure, and we also provide evidence-based education and resources, undertake advocacy at all levels of government, and work to increase awareness of food allergies as a serious public health issue. We are deeply committed to every area of our mission and to supporting the food allergy community.

As we look to advance the field of food allergy research, our hope is to accelerate the development of treatments that will protect individuals with food allergies from life-threatening reactions. In 2013, FARE convened a Research Retreat to develop a strategic plan for the future of food allergy research. In collaboration with leading food allergy investigators, world-renowned scientists, senior government officials, representatives from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, and food allergy advocates who attended the retreat, FARE developed A Vision and Plan for Food Allergy Research. This strategic plan sets forth the important work required to create a future in which life-threatening allergic reactions are a thing of the past. There is a significant amount of work to be done, but we are dedicated to going beyond simply funding promising therapies to truly shaping the way food allergy research is conducted in the United States to help improve the chances that promising treatments will become publicly available in a timely manner.

In the meantime, we continue our work with passionate volunteers and members of the food allergy community to educate, advocate and raise awareness. FARE has developed a wealth of evidence-based resources designed to help families live well with food allergies. As the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to food allergies, we have the ability to create and execute national educational events, programs and initiatives that reach hundreds of thousands of families.

When we talk about food allergies, we drive home the point that food allergies are not only potentially life-threatening, but also life-altering. With this in mind, our resources are aimed at helping families manage food allergies at home, at school, in the workplace and while dining out or traveling – because we know that food allergies touch every aspect of life. Thanks to our generous supporters, we are able to provide a wide array of resources – below are just a few examples.

 

Highlighted Resources from FARE

Late in 2013, FARE launched “Your Food Allergy Field Guide,” a packet for individuals and families receiving a new food allergy diagnosis. In the last six months, more than 100,000 copies of the guide have been distributed to patients by allergists. We have provided a free digital version of this guide on our website and encourage anyone who is new to the world of food allergies to download the guide as a reference that they can use for years to come.

In January, FARE launched an ambitious new program aimed at providing students with food allergies a safer college experience by helping colleges and universities develop uniform policies to effectively manage food allergy. We have already brought together more than 100 subject matter experts through two planning summits in Virginia and Arizona to create the framework for the FARE College Food Allergy Program. As a result, a best practices document and several educational tools are now in development, with the pilot phase of the program set to begin later this year.

This June, we are looking forward to hosting the first multi-day FARE National Food Allergy Conference in Rosemont, Ill. Scheduled for June 21-22, the conference will feature some of the nation’s top experts leading sessions that will be both educational and interactive – for everyone from preteens and teens, to newly diagnosed adults and parents, to parents who have managed food allergies for years.

On the advocacy front, we were the driving force in the successful passage of The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, signed by President Obama last year. We also continue to pursue state legislation providing for stock epinephrine in schools, which is now authorized in some 40 states. In addition, we are actively engaged with advocates on restaurant legislation, and encourage members of the community to sign up for FARE’s Advocates Network so they can make their voices heard and personally contribute to making a change in their community.

You can learn about many other programs and initiatives FARE conducted in the past year by visiting the Your Donations at Work page on our website.

How to Get Involved with FARE

This continues to be a crucial time in the food allergy arena, with promising research findings and a heightened awareness about food allergy as a serious and growing public health issue. But there is still a critical need for food allergy research, education, advocacy and awareness. Parents still need our help, adults and children with food allergies are in need of support and tools, and our entire community is in need of a cure. With the help of our members, everyone who participated in our FARE Walk for Food Allergy events, and all our supporters, FARE’s commitment to the food allergy community is unwavering.

You can join our movement! Here are just a few specific ways you can take action now and get involved with FARE:

• Become a Member
• Become an Advocate
• Attend our Annual Conference
• Register for and View Our Monthly Educational Webinars
• Help Raise Awareness during Food Allergy Action Month and Year Round
• Stay Informed by Signing Up for Our Email Updates and Connecting on Social Media

John Lehr currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), a position he took on in April 2012. John led the organization through the merger of its two legacy organizations, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network and the Food Allergy Initiative, to create a strong unified voice for the food allergy community.

Prior to joining FARE, John served as President and CEO of CureSearch for Children’s Cancer, a national foundation dedicated to funding and supporting children’s cancer research. He previously served as Vice President of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, where he helped lead a $175 million national fundraising campaign in support of cystic fibrosis drug discovery and development.

John is a graduate of Villanova University, where he also earned a Master’s Degree in American History. After college, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sri Lanka. He has an 8 year old daughter, and is the uncle to a teenaged nephew who has multiple food allergies.