Food Allergy Research & Education Partners with Actor August Maturo
McLEAN, Va and LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) September 29, 2016 -- Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), the nation’s leading nonprofit organization serving 15 million Americans with food allergies, is proud to announce actor August Maturo will be working with FARE to bring attention to the severity of food allergy in support of the 1 in 13 children living with this potentially life-threatening disease.
Known as Auggie, the 9-year-old “Girl Meets World” actor will be teaming up with FARE on a number of awareness and education initiatives over the next year, including the Teal Pumpkin Project®, which helps create a happier, safer Halloween for kids with food allergies. Auggie is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, sesame and coconut.
Through his large following on social media and in other collaborations, Auggie will work with FARE on campaigns that educate hundreds of thousands of children and adults about food allergies. This fall, Auggie will serve as the National Captain of Team Teal Pumpkin, in which he will challenge kids to paint pumpkins teal and get their families involved in this nationwide movement that promotes inclusion and food allergy awareness during Halloween. A teal pumpkin on your doorstep indicates non-food treats are available for kids with food allergies or other dietary restrictions. Families will be encouraged to post photos of their teal pumpkins online for the Teal Pumpkin Project Challenge.
“We are delighted to have Auggie on board as an ambassador for this cause. With his strong fan base and tremendous social media following, he will undoubtedly raise the profile of food allergy and help educate so many about an often misunderstood condition,” said Lois A. Witkop, chief advancement officer of FARE. “He’s a terrific role model and we look forward to collaborating with Auggie on FARE’s high-impact awareness and education initiatives.”
Food allergies are a serious and growing public health issue. The CDC reports that the number of children with food allergy has increased by a staggering 50 percent since 1997, and every three minutes a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room.
“I am so excited to team up with FARE to raise awareness about food allergies and can’t wait to get started – I’m hoping to see a lot of teal pumpkins this year!” Auggie said. “Everyone needs to understand that food allergies are serious. By sharing my story and getting involved with FARE, I know I can help spread this message and make a difference for so many kids.”
To learn more about food allergies, visit foodallergy.org.
ABOUT FARE
Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) works on behalf of the 15 million Americans with food allergies, including all those at risk for life-threatening anaphylaxis. This potentially deadly disease affects 1 in every 13 children in the U.S. – or roughly two in every classroom. FARE’s mission is to improve the quality of life and the health of individuals with food allergies, and to provide them hope through the promise of new treatments. Our work is organized around three core tenets: LIFE – support the ability of individuals with food allergies to live safe, productive lives with the respect of others through our education and advocacy initiatives; HEALTH – enhance the healthcare access of individuals with food allergies to state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment; and HOPE – encourage and fund research in both industry and academia that promises new therapies to improve the allergic condition. For more information, please visit http://www.foodallergy.org and find us on Twitter @FoodAllergy, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
Nancy Gregory, Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), http://www.foodallergy.org, +1 703-563-3066, [email protected]
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