Follow By Email: FAACT's September e-Newsletter: We Are Back In Walmart

The Voice of Food Allergy Awareness

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FAACT's Teal Ghost Arrives at Walmart in September!

FAACT is partnering again with Walmart for our 7th year to offer non-food Halloween treats that are filled with fun—not fear for children's health. FAACT's Teal Ghost will appear in every Walmart store throughout the U.S. this fall!

The scariest thing about Halloween for many families isn't the costumes or decorations—it's the possibility of a life-threatening allergic reaction to Halloween treats. Concerns about childhood obesity and diabetes give us even more reasons to make Halloween healthy for every child.

Walmart encourages families to #KnowTheFAACTs about food allergies and consider non-food fun for school parties, neighborhood gatherings, and, of course, trick-or-treaters.

Visit your local Walmart and show us your Teal Ghost selfie!

Here's a sample Facebook post:
Selfie with #FAACTsTealGhost in #CityState @Walmart! Join @FAACTnews for #NonFoodFun this #Halloween! Help us spread the word!

Want another way to spread the word? Change your social media profile photo to your #FAACTsTealGhost selfie and share it with family, friends, and local news networks!

Thank you to Walmart for partnering with FAACT to raise awareness around non-food fun!

***Last Call to Register for FAACT's Teen Retreat -* *Deadline Is September 4!***

F AACT's eighth annual Teen Retreat, designed specifically for youth and young adults ages 11-22, is all about tweens, teens, college students, and their families. Teens will learn about managing their food allergies and spend time with other teens living with food allergies and related conditions. Siblings will have a safe space to discuss how food allergies affect the whole family, and caregivers can learn about balancing family needs.

We are excited that Curtis Zimmerman will be our keynote speaker! He will also be conducting interactive sessions with teens and family members. We even have a team-building event planned at Escape the Room. It is going to be an inspirational, empowering, and FUN weekend for everyone!

FAACT's Teen Retreat will be held September 15-17, 2023, at The Hyatt Lodge & Conference Center in Oak Brook, Illinois. Details are available on our website.

The hotel reservation cut-off is also September 4!

We hope you can join us for an amazing family weekend!

Don't miss out! Register today!

Illinois Protects Patients With
Life-Threatening Allergies

FAACT commends lawmakers in Illinois for new legislation that protects patients with life-threatening allergies, such as allergies to food, insect stings, and latex. Auto-injectable epinephrine is the only medication currently available that can stop an anaphylactic reaction. But medication shortages and skyrocketing prices have left many families struggling to keep this medication on hand—particularly when doctors recommend that patients have two auto-injectors available at all times due to the possibility of a secondary reaction. By capping the price for a twin pack of epinephrine auto-injectors at $60, Illinois sets an important precedent for patients across the country. No family should be priced out of life-saving medications.

Save the Date for Nut-Free
Halloween Treats This October

Vermont Nut Free Chocolates is offering a delicious treat for the FAACT community: a 10% discount on all orders! Plus, 25% of the proceeds from these sales will be donated to FAACT.

Let's make this a Halloween to remember with special treats for our little ghosts and goblins. Stock up on peanut- and tree-nut-free chocolates, baking products, Halloween goodies, and much more!

Place your order any time October 1-8! Use coupon code "FAACT" prior to checkout to receive 10% off your order.

Visit Vermont Nut Free to start making your wish list.

Thank you for supporting FAACT and Vermont Nut Free Chocolates!

Keep Showing Your Love for
FAACT's 10 Years of TEAL Voices

Sponsored by National Peanut Board and DBV Technologies

We've been feeling the love as we celebrate FAACT's 10-year anniversary this summer. And we hope even more of you will share your stories!

Sharing your "teal love" helps raise the visibility of food allergies among friends, family, coworkers—everyone connected with you online. It also helps generate awareness about just how many people are affected by food allergies and anaphylaxis.

Take a minute to post a selfie or a quick video with your hands shaped in a heart and share what FAACT means to you. For example:

"I am one of the 32 million Americans living with food allergies. [Share your story]."

#FAACT #FAACT10YearsOfTealVoices #FoodAllergy #Anaphylaxis #LearnTheFAACTs

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter: Tag us at @FAACTnews
LinkedIn or Pinterest: Tag us at @FAACT

Visit our website for sample posts.

FAACT is here to support you. We #KnowTheFAACTs about food allergies and anaphylaxis. We live it and get it, and with your support, we will continue to amplify YOUR VOICE!

FAACT's "My Food Allergy Resilience Kit"

What is resilience? According to the American Psychological Association, it is "the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands."

Living with food allergies is tough. Children and adults living with food allergies face more challenges and potential setbacks than their peers who don't have life-threatening allergies. So, we can all benefit from working on resilience - the ability to "bounce back" after facing obstacles.

FAACT's "My Food Allergy Resilience Kit" is designed specifically to help children develop a growth mindset. When children have a growth mindset, they can look at bad situations and see how to overcome them, how they can learn from mistakes, and see the good in themselves.

Building resilience takes flexibility and knowing your identity, which the kit will help children grow. Resiliency also comes from relationships, so parents are an important part of this process too! Work through this kit with your child and reiterate that you believe in them and love them no matter what…and for exactly who they are!

Learn more online and download your copy of FAACT's "My Food Allergy Resilience Kit."

Avoiding Back-to-School Burnout

by Caroline Moassessi, FAACT Vice President of Community Relations

This time of year is as exciting as it is stressful. Establishing school accommodations, stocking up on medications, and educating teachers, coaches, and new friends about food allergies are at the top of our back-to-school lists. With all this on our minds, it can be easy to forget our own well-being as we care for others. Even those of us with children in college can be hyper-focused on guiding our students safely through their next big adventure.

When writing your food allergy back-to-school task list, place your name at the top of the page. Consider writing next to your name, "Today, I will ____ (fill in the blank) to boost my well-being." If guilt starts to creep in, head to FAACT's Behavioral Health Resource Center, including the Self-Care Hub. Guilt has no place in our lives when we are taking care of ourselves so we can take better care of our families….

Read the full blog here.

The Relentless School Nurse: Safely Caring for Students with Food Allergies Is a
Collaborative Effort

by Robin Cogan, MEd, RN, NCSN, FNASN, FAAN

Understanding the roles and responsibilities of school nurses and the challenges they face is vital for parents and caregivers in creating a supportive and safe learning environment for all students. School nurses play a pivotal role in the school community, ensuring the physical and mental well-being of students. From conducting health assessments and managing medications to providing first aid and emergency response, their contributions are instrumental in addressing the diverse health needs of students.

However, up to 60% of schools lack a school nurse completely or have only part-time coverage, leaving many students without access to adequate healthcare during school hours. In schools where there is a full-time nurse, the ratio of one nurse to hundreds—even thousands—of students can strain the nurse's ability to deliver personalized care effectively.

Families can take proactive steps to ensure effective communication and collaboration with school nurses.

Read the full blog here.

FAACT's Roundtable Podcast: Where the Latest Conversations are Found

Stay up to date on the most talked-about news and tips for living with food allergies. Discover the latest information, including back-to-school accommodations from legal experts, the latest in food allergy research, food allergy management, mental health, and much more.

ICYMI our recent podcasts:

Ep. 180: Managing Food Allergies and Mental Health from the Adult Perspective
Ep. 179: School Accommodations - Tackling Challenges
Ep. 178: College 'How To' Conversations, Part 2 - Socializing
Ep. 177: College 'How To' Conversations, Part 1 - Campus Life
Ep. 176: Working with Your School Nurse to Update Accommodations for the School Year

Download FAACT's Roundtable Podcast here. You can also find FAACT's Roundtable Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Podcast Chaser, Deezer, Tune-In, Alexa, and Listen Notes.

Subscribe, share, and leave us a review!

Inclusion Matters

Reactions, Cultures, and Acceptance of Differences in Crisis
by Aleasa Word, FAACT VP of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Families in the food allergy community often find comfort in online groups. There are usually some differences, like the types of allergies managed, family structures, economic factors, or areas of the country we live in. We may even worship different faiths or none at all. In most cases, there is a mix of ethnicities.

These differences can often be ignored as we seek out a recipe free of the top allergens or epinephrine auto-injector carrying cases that won't make our child stand out. After all, we are on common ground fighting the same fight—food allergies and anaphylaxis. Right?

It's like the best kumbaya moment one could ask for when we rally together to find a place of harmony.

Read the full blog in FAACT's 'Inclusion Matters' section of our
DEI Resource Center.

Chef Diego's Corner

Chef Diego Baraona is an executive chef and culinary instructor and formerly the Culinary Manager of the Bionutritional Kitchen at Mount Sinai Health System in the Clinical Research Unit for Pediatric Allergy Research. Chef Diego has created hundreds of allergy-friendly recipes for families – like this one!

Check out his latest recipe!

Braised* Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

1.5 pound pork tenderloin
1/4 cup of Sauvignon Blanc wine
1 tablespoon of avocado oil
1/2 cup of tomato sauce (plain)
1/4 cup of oat milk, unsweetened

Marinade:

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne

Preparation:

Rub the pork tenderloin with the marinade and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Before cooking, let the pork tenderloin sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Heat a large skillet to medium high. Once the skillet is hot, add the avocado oil.
Brown the pork tenderloin on both sides, at least 5 minutes per side.
Reduce heat to low and add the wine, oat milk, and tomato sauce. Cook the pork tenderloin in the sauce for at least 20 minutes. Cover the skillet with a lid.
Check the internal temperature. Once it reaches 155 degrees Fahrenheit, the pork is done.
Remove the pork tenderloin from the skillet and place it on a cutting board. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
Let the sauce reduce in the skillet by simmering for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Slice the pork thinly and pour the sauce over the pork.

* Braise: to cook with a small amount of liquid and fat, simmering in a covered pot or skillet.

Enjoy!

Chef Diego contributes an allergy-friendly recipe each month in our e-newsletter. You can follow Chef Diego on Instagram at @chefbaraona to see more of his amazing, allergen-friendly recipes.

FAACT Partnership with MedicAlert Foundation

Safety and preparedness are at the heart of each food allergy emergency plan. During an anaphylactic emergency, immediate access to contacts, insurance, and information about other health conditions are often needed. Services linked to identification jewelry are top choices for many people living with food allergies.

FAACT partnered with the MedicAlert Foundation to help raise food allergy and anaphylaxis awareness. Our partnership includes collaborating on educational resources, internal call center training with MedicAlert staff, webinars, and more.

As a special gift to FAACT families, new MedicAlert subscribers will receive 20% off their new subscription service order. Use promo code: FAACT20. Visit MedicAlert to subscribe today!

More About FAACT

Food allergies affect as many as 32 million Americans, including 6 million children. The prevalence of food allergies appears to be increasing among children under the age of 18, and there is NO cure! FAACT's mission is to educate, advocate, and raise awareness for all individuals and families affected by food allergies and life-threatening anaphylaxis. FAACT is also 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 on a daily basis involves constant vigilance. FAACT is here to support you in managing your food allergies – today, tomorrow, and into the future.

For more information, please visit us at www.FoodAllergyAwareness.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, Pinterest, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Contact us directly via Email.