2023 Was A Year Worth Celebrating

by Eleanor Garrow-Holding, FAACT President & CEO

As I reflect on 2023 celebrating FAACT’s 10th year, it warms my heart to know that we touched so many families’ and individuals’ lives. I’ve always said that if we just help one person or one family, it makes all our work worthwhile. I am hopeful for many new opportunities in 2024 and am grateful that FAACT can continue to help the food allergy community navigate challenges safely throughout the year.

We are grateful for your love and support these past 10 years. No matter how difficult your days were, you continued to boost our community and FAACT.

Inspired by you, FAACT continued expanding our offerings to meet changing food allergy needs in 2023, including:

• Camp TAG (The Allergy Gang), a summer camp for children with food allergies and their siblings, celebrated its 13th anniversary with in-person summer camps in Ohio and Tennessee plus a virtual camp attended by youth representing 30 states.
• Our eighth annual Teen Retreat in Oak Brook, Illinois, was a huge success, attended by teens and families representing 12 states.
• FAACT’s Food Industry & Research Summit brought together colleagues and stakeholders across the food industry and provided an open forum to explore ideas on how to safely meet the needs of the food allergy community.
• FAACT's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resource Center supported every part of our food allergy community. The resource center offers action-oriented information for support groups; ideas to help healthcare professionals provide inclusive services; thought-provoking materials for individuals, families, caregivers, educators, and students; and exercises to help us all grow our thinking in more inclusive ways.
• FAACT's Civil Rights Advocacy Resource Center educates and informs food-allergic individuals about their rights to safely and equally participate alongside non-allergic individuals. We have assisted over 6,800 individuals—a COMPLIMENTARY service to everyone.
• FAACT's school programs, educational posters, and resources are also FREE and downloadable in our Education Resource Center and College Resource Center.
• FAACT's Behavioral Health Resource Center offers helpful tools for all ages on topics that range from navigating a new food allergy diagnosis to eating disorders and coping skills. All toolkits, one-pagers, and guides are FREE and downloadable.
• We launched FAACT's Roundtable Podcast to stay connected with the food allergy community during a trying time—and it's still going strong today! We have 203 episodes to date with over 19.5K downloads from 41 countries - with leading experts, parents and caregivers, advocates, support group leaders, teens, children, and more.

I am so excited to be starting 2024 with FAACT’s leadership team—and all of you. Building our education, communication, and peer support programs is critical to achieving our mission to educate, advocate, and raise awareness for all individuals and families affected by food allergies and life-threatening anaphylaxis.

Here are a few other highlights of what FAACT offers:

• Education: FAACT is dedicated to food allergy and anaphylaxis education. We provide outreach, training, and support to public and professional communities. Our online Education Resource Center offers a wealth of downloadable educational materials for patients and professionals—including FAACT’s Food Allergy Curricula Program for Schools for grades K-3, 4-8, and 9-12 and the FAACTs for Schools Staff Education Program. Education is the most critical step in helping children and adults with life-threatening allergies manage their daily lives safely.
• Civil Rights Advocacy: One of FAACT’s unique services is direct assistance with civil rights issues at school—at no charge to the families we help. Our Civil Rights Advocacy Center staff are available to answer your questions and assist you in seeking accommodations. We can also help you find civil rights professionals in your community. You can find civil rights resources in FAACT’s online Civil Rights Advocacy Resource Center. We put laws, regulations, and agency opinions at your fingertips.
• Support Group Development: Support groups connect people facing similar challenges and provide an outlet for support on many levels. Sometimes it’s helpful to turn to others outside your immediate circle of friends and family for advice and comfort. I certainly found that to be true when my family was struggling in the early years of my son’s food allergy diagnosis. Support groups can offer emotional support, further education and understanding, provide a place for people to share their concerns, and help reduce anxiety and confusion families might be facing. Click here to learn more about how to find the right support group for you, questions to ask before joining a food allergy support group, or to learn more about starting a support group in your area.
• Social Media Platforms: FAACT amplifies your voice for food allergy awareness, from keeping children safe at school to dealing with workplace issues or simply taking the family out for a bite to eat. Managing a food allergy involves constant vigilance. FAACT is here to support you—today, tomorrow, and into the future. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube for educational posts, stories, reels, and more!

Please stay safe and let us know how FAACT can help you and your family live healthy this year. We're just an email or phone call away.

From our FAACT family to yours, we wish you a healthy and prosperous 2024!