Media

Media Contact

For press and media inquiries, please contact:

Eleanor Garrow-Holding, President and CEO
Eleanor.Garrow@FoodAllergyAwareness.org
Phone: (815) 276-3015

Media/New Inquires

We can help you develop your news story; supply medical experts, spokespersons, and other interview subjects; and provide current information on food allergies and anaphylaxis.  

Movie/TV Consultants

Whether you are pitching a story or are already in production, we can provide consultants to ensure medical accuracy.

Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team

office:
fax:

mailing address:    
 

email:

(513) 342-1293
(513) 342-1239

P.O. Box 511
West Chester, OH 45071

info@FoodAllergyAwareness.org

Office Hours:

Monday - Friday    8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST

Baby eating food

FAACT, ACAAI, NPB Partner on Early Intro to Peanut

Video Series, Website Helps Parents Introduce Peanuts Early to Prevent Allergy

Actor, director, entrepreneur and father Justin Baldoni partners with the National Peanut Board to encourage parents to follow new peanut introduction guidelines following groundbreaking study 

ATLANTA, April 24, 2018 – Together with the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) and the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT), the National Peanut Board and actor, director and entrepreneur Justin Baldoni today announced a new video series, documenting Baldoni’s own experience introducing peanut foods to his young son, Maxwell, to hopefully prevent him from developing a peanut allergy in the future. Each video will show a different part of the story of the Baldoni family following the new peanut introduction guidelines and aims to empower new parents. The video series is part of a new website, PreventPeanutAllergies.org, designed to help parents take the first step to prevent their child from developing a peanut allergy.

The Learning Early About Peanut Allergies (LEAP) study, a groundbreaking study released in 2016, showed the early introduction of peanut foods to infants could cut the risk of developing a peanut allergy by up to 86 percent, among at-risk children. The study was so significant that it led to new guidelines on the introduction of peanut foods from the National Institutes of Allergies and Infectious Disease (NIAID).

“As a father, I want to do everything I can to ensure my children have the best chance at a happy and healthy life ” said Baldoni. “That’s why after learning about the new guidelines, we chose to introduce peanuts to Maxwell early, when he is a baby. Life is hard enough, and by feeding him peanut foods early and keeping it in his diet regularly, we can drastically reduce his chances of developing a peanut allergy.”

In the series’ first video, Baldoni – actor, director and entrepreneur – shares his views on family, fatherhood, and preventing peanut allergies at an early age. Additional videos that follow the Baldoni family through this process will be released throughout the summer.

“Since the National Peanut Board was founded, America’s peanut farmers have put more than $21 million of their own money to work to helping find the causes of, and solutions to, peanut allergies,” explained Bob Parker, president and CEO.  “The LEAP Study and guidelines for early introduction of peanuts are groundbreaking advances with potentially life-changing implications, and we’re committed to working with others to make sure parents know the impact their actions early in their infants’ lives can have.”

Parents with newborns or who are expecting should begin making plans to introduce peanuts early – as early as 4-6 months of age. For most parents of infants, it’s as simple as introducing baby-safe peanut foods around 6 months of age as often as they’d like. Children with severe eczema or an egg allergy or both, are in the “high risk” infant category and should consult their pediatrician before introducing peanut foods. The NIAID guidelines recommend introducing peanut foods to high risk infants as early as four months of age and continuing to feed it to them regularly – 2g of peanut protein per meal or snack, three times per week.

Parents with questions or who are looking for more information on feeding peanut foods to their baby should visit PreventPeanutAllergies.org to learn more or discuss with their healthcare provider. Click here to download the informational flyer.

About the National Peanut Board

The National Peanut Board’s mission is to help improve the economic condition of USA peanut farmers and their families through compelling promotion and groundbreaking research. We’re working to remove barriers to consumption and advance food allergy progress. The Board has funded more than $21 million in food allergy research, outreach and education. For more information, visit NationalPeanutBoard.org.

About ACAAI

The ACAAI is a professional medical organization of more than 6,000 allergists-immunologists and allied health professionals, headquartered in Arlington Heights, Ill. The College fosters a culture of collaboration and congeniality in which its members work together and with others toward the common goals of patient care, education, advocacy and research. ACAAI allergists are board-certified physicians trained to diagnose allergies and asthma, administer immunotherapy, and provide patients with the best treatment outcomes. For more information and to find relief, visit AllergyandAsthmaRelief.org. Join us on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

About the 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. Whether it’s keeping children safe at school, responding to food allergy bullying, traveling, preparing for college, dealing with workplace issues, or simply taking the family out for dinner, FAACT has all the facts you need to manage food allergies and stay healthy. FAACT is your voice for food allergy awareness. Visit FoodAllergyAwareness.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube

 Vitality Bowls

Vitality Bowls Rallies Communities in Support of Food Allergy Awareness

National Superfood Café Raises Awareness, Funds for Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team

SAN RAMON, Calif. – Fueled by the desire to spread knowledge of food allergies, Vitality Bowls is spearheading a campaign to shed light on food allergy awareness, advocacy and education.

Throughout the month of May, Vitality Bowls cafes across the country are encouraging guests to try the Bowl of the Month – the Super Berry Bowl – in support of the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT). For each Super Berry Bowl sold, Vitality Bowls will donate 10 percent of the proceeds to FAACT, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing education about food allergies and anaphylaxis and enhancing the safety of children and adults worldwide affected by food allergies and anaphylaxis.

“Vitality Bowls was created out of the need for a safe, healthy, food allergy-friendly zone for our own daughter, and we’re proud to offer people a safe space, free of cross contamination, so customers with food allergies can feel safe about eating at our cafes,” said Tara Gilad, chief operating officer of Vitality Bowls. “But, there is so much more work that needs to be done to educate people on the true dangers that food allergies pose. FAACT does an incredible job educating people and advocating for food allergy sufferers, and we are proud to help support them in their mission.”

The Super Berry Bowl has particular meaning to Brian and Kathy Hom and his family, who own two Vitality Bowls cafes in California. After tragically losing their son to an allergic reaction, the Hom family dedicated their lives to spreading awareness about food allergies. The Super Berry Bowl was created in their son’s remembrance, honoring his love for berries.

Originating in Northern California, Vitality Bowls has solidified itself as America’s superfood café – combining a dynamic café vibe with a unique collection of menu items containing high nutritional values and extraordinary tastes. Vitality Bowls, which specializes in açaí bowls – a thick blend of the Amazon’s antioxidant-rich berry topped with a variety of superfoods – offers breakfast, lunch and dinner items made to order for each customer. All of the brand’s bowls and smoothies are free of ingredient fillers such as ice, frozen yogurt, added sugar or artificial preservatives, giving the purest taste possible.

Many Vitality Bowls locations also include a full-service coffee bar, complete with espresso and superfood drinks that are packed with antioxidant-rich açaí, pitaya and matcha – for example, the Açaí Latte (espresso, açaí, coconut sugar, steamed almond milk) or the Superfood Mocha (espresso, CaCoCo superfood chocolate blend, steamed milk). Most cafes offer organic cold brew nitrogen-poured coffee and organic kombucha on-tap.

For more information about Vitality Bowls and its menu items, please visit www.vitalitybowls.com. For more information about the Vitality Bowls franchise opportunity, visit http://franchise.vitalitybowls.com.

About Vitality Bowls

Roy and Tara Gilad, a pair of successful business owners, founded Vitality Bowls in 2011 in San Ramon, California. The duo started the superfood café concept together as a result of discovering their daughter’s severe food allergies and wanting to find safe, healthy food alternatives. Since franchising began in 2014, the brand has seen significant growth with 100 cafes open and in development.

Named one of the Top 100 new franchises in 2017 by Entrepreneur and ranked among the 2017 Fast Casual Top 100, Vitality Bowls is redefining the fast casual healthy food restaurant sector every day at each of its locations across the country.

To learn more about Vitality Bowls franchise opportunities, visit http://franchise.vitalitybowls.com/ and for more information about the brand, visit the company website at http://vitalitybowls.com.

About The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT):
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 http://www.FoodAllergyAwareness.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

FAACT Media Contact:
Eleanor Garrow-Holding, FAACT’s President and CEO
(815) 276-3015 or Eleanor.Garrow@FoodAllergyAwareness.org

Vitality Bowls Contact:
Sydney Thompson
All Points Public Relations
(847) 897-7494
sthompson@allpointspr.com

Show FAACT your FAACTs Teal Ghost selfie

Walmart & FAACT Are Uniting Again this Halloween - In Every U.S. Walmart!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2023

It's FAACT's TEAL Ghost Time! Fill your basket with “non-food fun” this Halloween to keep kids healthy – including children with life-threatening food allergies

WEST CHESTER, OHIO - Did you spot #FAACTsTealGhost at your local Walmart? Be on the lookout through the Halloween season! Walmart and Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) offer Halloween treats that are filled with fun – not fear for children’s health. FAACT's Teal Ghost will be in every Walmart this season in the U.S.!

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 candy and other popular Halloween treats. And with growing concerns about childhood obesity and diabetes, we have even more reasons to make Halloween fun and 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. From slime and stretchy eyeballs to headbands, bubbles, and bouncy balls, WalMart offers a fun array of non-food treats for Halloween…with FAACT’s Non-Food Fun Teal Ghost logo on display cases and packaging!

Life-threatening food allergies affect as many as 32 million Americans, including almost 6 million children. That’s two students in every classroom across the country. The top foods that trigger allergic reactions include peanuts, tree nuts, and milk – all common ingredients in Halloween candies (or common to facilities that manufacture Halloween treats). There is no cure for food allergies. The only way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid trigger foods.

“I’m very excited to unite again with Walmart for the sixth year on this shared initiative of raising food allergy awareness nationwide, especially during the Halloween season when food allergy concerns are at one of its highest peaks”, states Eleanor Garrow-Holding, FAACT President and CEO. “I want to thank Walmart for partnering with FAACT again and recognizing that food allergy awareness is greatly needed.”


Help us spread the word! Be sure to visit your local Walmart, and show FAACT your selfie! 

Here's a sample Tweet to use with your selfie:
“Selfie w/ #FAACTsTealGhost in #CityState @Walmart! Join @FAACTNews 4 #NonFoodFun this #Halloween! #FAACT #Walmart #tealghost #foodallergy #allergy #foodallergies #KnowTheFAACTs”

Here's a sample Facebook post to use with your selfie:
"Selfie with #FAACTsTealGhost in #CityState @Walmart! Join @FAACT for #NonFoodFun this #Halloween! Help us spread the word! Go take your selfie and share it with us! #FAACT #Walmart #tealghost #foodallergy #allergy #foodallergies #allergies #anaphylaxis #awareness #allergyawareness #KnowTheFAACTs #ShareTheFAACTs".

Want to know another way to spread the word? Change your Facebook and Twitter profile photos to your #FAACTsTealGhost selfie photo and share with your family and friends! AND, share with your local news networks!

Be sure to follow our daily Facebook posts and tweets for more Halloween graphics and tips to come! FAACT wishes you all an allergen-safe Halloween season! Thank you to Walmart for partnering with FAACT on raising awareness around Non-Food Fun!


About The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT):
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 https://www.FoodAllergyAwareness.org, and follow us on Facebook, TwitterInstagram, ThreadsPinterestLinkedIn, and YouTube.

Media Contact:
Eleanor Garrow-Holding, FAACT’s President and CEO
(815) 276-3015 or Eleanor.Garrow@FoodAllergyAwareness.org

FAACT is able to consult on news stories and provide medical experts, spokespersons, and subjects while supplying up-to-date information on food allergies and anaphylaxis for your future media needs.

Global Parenting Expert, Jo Frost, Announced as National Spokesperson for FAACT

Global Parenting Expert, Jo Frost, Announced as National Spokesperson for FAACT and Will Raise Awareness Around Food Allergies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2015 

Jo Frost to help raise awareness of life-threatening food allergies
that affect more than 15 million Americans, including 6 million children

West Chester, OH – The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) is honored to announce that internationally acclaimed author and television personality Jo Frost has joined FAACT as our national spokeswoman. Jo will work closely with the FAACT leadership and Medical Advisory Board to help raise awareness of food allergies in communities across the country.

Life-threatening food allergies affect as many as 15 million Americans, including almost 6 million children. That is two students in every classroom in this country. And there is no cure for food allergies; the only way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid trigger foods.

That’s why it is so important for every member of the community to know about food allergies and be able to recognize a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Awareness can save lives.

Global parenting expert, bestselling author, and television personality Jo Frost knows first-hand the life-threatening nature of food allergies: she is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish. America’s favorite nanny is now bringing her childhood development experience and international celebrity status to help children with food allergies.

“We are honored and grateful to have Jo Frost join the FAACT family and advocate for all individuals with life-threatening food allergies and anaphylaxis,” says FAACT President and CEO Eleanor Garrow-Holding. “Jo’s voice will be instrumental in educating children, adolescents, and adults about food allergies. We are excited to have Jo be a part of our programs and to work with her for many years to come!”

“As an advocate for those who live with life threatening allergies, it is an honor to be an ambassador for a leading charity such as the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT). They do fantastic work on behalf of anaphylaxis, and together we will build awareness for those with food allergies in the way of advocacy and education. Together we will continue to make advances in the issues affecting those of us with life threatening allergies. It takes dedication, commitment and more than a village to educate those that don’t live with this medical condition. Now we need to pull together as a community and bring awareness to those that are less informed giving those of us with anaphylaxis inclusion and equality.

I feel very passionate about this cause, educating people on the issues of health and safety surrounding anaphylaxis, which includes food labeling, knowing proper actions to take, airline travel, schools and public venues having correct training and diagnosis. All of this is of vital importance that could save lives and would not create an imposition to the general population. Simple changes can make a huge impact to children and adults living with anaphylaxis on a daily basis. It is my goal to see America continue to stand alongside other countries on this health condition.”

About The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT)
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 or call (513) 342-1293, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Resources:

Media Contact:
Eleanor Garrow-Holding, FAACT’s President and CEO
(815) 276-3015 or Eleanor.Garrow@FoodAllergyAwareness.org

FAACT is able to consult on news stories and provide medical experts, spokespersons, and subjects while supplying up-to-date information on food allergies and anaphylaxis for your future media needs.

About Jo Frost
Global parenting expert, bestselling author, and television personality Jo Frost, has been in our living rooms for more than 15 years on a variety of television shows, including “Supernanny,” “Family Matters,” “Family SOS,” Extreme Parental Guidance, and her newest show, “Jo Frost: Nanny on Tour.” Her six books on parenting – the most recent of which is Jo Frosts: Toddler Rules – have become the go-to guides for childrearing, and her no nonsense approach has helped millions of families across the world achieve harmonious results.

Frost has always had a natural gift for connecting with kids on their own level and connecting both parent and child organically. With more than 20 years in childcare, beginning as an actual nanny, Jo has honed her successful methods of childrearing with hands-on, real-life experience. She has encouraged and helped parents with different child-rearing challenges – from potty training and sibling rivalry to sleep concerns and tantrums – and continues to place practical solutions into homes, whether problems are extreme or everyday challenges.

As an advocate for children, families, and food allergies, Jo is the National Spokesperson for FAACT and a Global Advocate for the United Nations Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign. She lost her mother to breast cancer and therefore lends her name to various cancer foundations.

In addition to numerous awards in the UK, Jo was nominated for a People’s Choice Award, and in 2006 she received an International Emmy Award nomination. Jo’s experience as TV’s leading professional nanny has brought her lasting recognition as the country’s foremost parenting expert and family advocate.

For media inquiries regarding Jo Frost:
Juliette Harris
Juliette@itgirlpublicrelations.com
(818) 825-5798

FAACT CEO Hosts Healthline’s Patient Roundtable:

FAACT CEO Hosts Healthline’s Patient Roundtable: Living with Severe Allergies

FAACT CEO, Eleanor Garrow-Holding, visited Healthline in San Francisco to host their patient roundtable discussing severe allergies and anaphylaxis. The discussion included emergency procedures, epinephrine auto-injectors, and tips for avoiding known allergens with fellow food allergy advocates. There were many resources and tips offered during this discussion. Whether you are a newly diagnosed family, sending your child to school, or living with food allergies as an adult – this discussion is for you. Click here to view the patient roundtable discussion.

FAACT and ACAAI Campaign

New FAACT and ACAAI Campaign Seeks to Close the Gap on Food Allergy Diagnosis and Management Awareness

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     

Media Contacts:
Eleanor Garrow-Holding, eleanor.garrow@foodallergyawareness.org, 815.276.3015
Gana Ahn, gahn@golin.com, 404.367.2759
Hollis Heavenrich-Jones, hollisheavenrich-jones@acaai.org

Half of Americans Lack Knowledge about Food Allergies, Survey Finds
New campaign brings education and awareness to food allergy diagnosis, management

April 29, 2015 – Forty nine percent of Americans say they are only somewhat or not at all knowledgeable about food allergies, according to a new national survey of 1,031 American adults.  Many people also have misconceptions about food allergies, including believing there is a little or no difference between food allergies and food intolerances, and that someone with a food allergy can eat small amounts of a food without having a reaction.

It’s in this environment that the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) and American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology  (ACAAI) are launching a public service campaign to raise awareness of accurate food allergy diagnosis and effective management.  Through public service advertising and traditional and social media, Americans will be encouraged to visit livingwithfoodallergies.org ─ and then take their questions and concerns to a board-certified allergist.

“When my son, Thomas, had his first reaction and then when he was diagnosed, I had no idea what we were getting into,” said Eleanor Garrow-Holding, founder and CEO of FAACT. “Knowing what an accurate diagnosis looks like and how to develop a management plan are both essential steps.  But what’s most important is knowing you’re not alone.”

Visitors to livingwithfoodallergies.org will be able to quickly access science-based information from ACAAI and other trusted sources, and find a board-certified allergist in their area.  The site is seamlessly integrated with FAACT’s own website, which provides links to local support groups, resources for developing food allergy and anaphylaxis management plans and other resources valuable to anyone who has a food allergy or thinks they do.

Other interesting findings from the survey include:

  • More than half of respondents (68 percent) think that the average American would not know what to do if someone they’re with has an allergic reaction to a food;
  • 82 percent agree that much more education needs to be done about food allergies and keeping those with allergies safe;
  • 31 percent incorrectly believe the only difference between a food allergy and food intolerance is the level of severity; and
  • One in four reported they would search the internet or visit a health-related website first for food allergy information.

“Too often in my practice I see patients who don’t have the correct information about food allergies,” explained allergist Todd Mahr, MD, ACAAI Fellow. “Many people aren’t taking all the steps we recommend to keep themselves or their loved ones safe.  Others are living a life that doesn’t have to be as difficult as it is because they have been misdiagnosed with or think they have food allergies.”

The campaign is funded in part through a grant from the National Peanut Board.  Since its founding in 2001, the board – which represents America’s 7,500 peanut farming families – has dedicated more than $12 million to independent food allergy research, education and outreach.

For more information on accurate diagnosis for a food allergy or steps on how to create a safer environment for living with a food allergy visit livingwithfoodallergies.org.

About The 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. 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 FoodAllergyAwareness.org or call 513.342.1293, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

About ACAAI
The ACAAI is a professional medical organization of more than 6,000 allergists-immunologists and allied health professionals, headquartered in Arlington Heights, Ill. The College fosters a culture of collaboration and congeniality in which its members work together and with others toward the common goals of patient care, education, advocacy and research. ACAAI allergists are board-certified physicians trained to diagnose allergies and asthma, administer immunotherapy, and provide patients with the best treatment outcomes. For more information and to find relief, visit AllergyandAsthmaRelief.org. Join us on Facebook,Pinterest and Twitter.

About the National Peanut Board
The National Peanut Board represents America’s more than 7,000 peanut farmers and their families. Through research and marketing initiatives, the Board is finding new ways to enhance production and increase consumer demand by promoting the great taste, nutrition and culinary versatility of USA-grown peanuts.  For more information, visit NationalPeanutBoard.org or PeanutAllergyFacts.org.

About the Survey
The food allergy research was conducted via a national online survey of 1,031 American adults ages 18 or older on March 2, 2015 through Toluna, a leading international market research firm.  The results are weighted and balanced to conform to current US Census projections for gender, age, region of residence, and ethnic and racial heritage.  The data have a ±3.4% to 3.8% Margin of Error at 95% confidence at the “all respondent” level.

###

Eleanor Garrow-Holding, FAACT President & CEO
Eleanor Garrow-Holding, FAACT President & CEO

FAACT CEO Honored as VIP Woman of the Year

For Immediate Release
September 1, 2015

Eleanor Garrow-Holding Inducted into NAPW's VIP Professional Woman of the Year Circle
Honored for her Commitment to the Healthcare and Nonprofit Industries 

Garden City, NY -- The National Association of Professional Women (NAPW) honored Eleanor Garrow-Holding as a 2015-2016 VIP Woman of the Year. The group recognized Ms. Garrow-Holding with this prestigious distinction for her leadership in the healthcare and nonprofit industries. With more than 700,000 members and over 200 local chapters, NAPW is the nation's leading networking organization exclusively for professional women.

“I’m pleased to welcome Eleanor Garrow-Holding into this exceptional group of professional women,” said NAPW President Star Jones. “Her selfless work and personal courage is helping and inspiring thousands of people diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies and their families.”

Like any mother, Eleanor Garrow-Holding’s priority is to make sure her child is safe and healthy. Her son, Thomas, suffers from life-threatening allergies to tree nuts, peanut, wheat, and sesame as well as eosinophilic esophagitis triggered by milk and wheat, asthma, and environmental allergies. For 11 years, she has worked, educated, and advocated for the food allergy community.

Ms. Garrow-Holding is the President and CEO of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT), where she and the FAACT Leadership Team provide the education, advocacy and awareness needed for the food allergy community. Ms. Garrow-Holding provides leadership, development, and implementation for all of FAACT’s initiatives and programs, including Camp TAG (The Allergy Gang) – a summer camp for children with food allergies and their siblings that she founded in 2009.

Ms. Garrow-Holding obtained a Bachelor of Healthcare Administration degree from Lewis University and worked in hospital management in Chicago for 15 years before taking her experience to nonprofits and founding FAACT. She serves on the National Food Allergy Management & Education Advisory Board, the National Peanut Board’s Allergy Education Advisory Council, Sea World’s Allergy Resource Team, and the Association of Food and Drug Officials Food Allergen Control committee.

About NAPW
NAPW’s mission is to provide an exclusive, highly advanced networking forum to successful women executives, professionals and entrepreneurs where they can aspire, connect and achieve. Through innovative resources, unique tools and progressive benefits, professional women interact, exchange ideas, advance their knowledge and empower each other.

Contact:
Eleanor Garrow-Holding, President & CEO
Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team
513-342-1293 / Eleanor.Garrow@FoodAllergyAwareness.org

Slideshow Cover Image

Eleanor Garrow-Holding Named Among The 15 Most Important Moms In the Food Industry

"I cannot express what a true honor this is to be named among all of these wonderful women making a difference in the food industry. I will continue to help make a difference for many years to come. Congratulations to all the amazing women named, especially my friend and fellow food allergy advocate, Robyn McCord O'Brien! Thank you, Elizabeth Street!" - Eleanor Garrow-Holding

FAACT Reaches Clawson Public Schools in Michigan

FAACT Offers Free Education Seminars to Clawson Public Schools in Michigan

11/25/14: Clawson Public Schools Board of Education President, Kevin Turner, contacted FAACT to share that the Board Member who made the offensive comment about children with food allergies has voluntarily resigned and that they take food allergies seriously. We are waiting to hear from Superintendent Beels and whether Clawson Public Schools will accept FAACT's offer for free food allergy education throughout their district. Below is the letter that FAACT sent to Clawson Public Schools the evening of November 24, 2014, which is also shown in ABC's Channel 7 News story.

West Chester, Ohio (November 24, 2014)
Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) National Headquarters

November 24, 2014

Clawson Public Schools
Superintendent and Board of Education
Clawson, MI

Dear Superintendent and Board Officials:

We at Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team are greatly concerned with a video of your school board meeting discussion of students with food allergies and a board member’s comment “well you should just shoot them.”Additionally concerning is the laughter of other members and persons present at the meeting following this remark. 

Food allergies affect approximately 15 million Americans, including six million children.  The prevalence of food allergies appears to be increasing among children under the age of 18; that is 2 students in every classroom. There are about 200,000 emergency department visits per year – a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency department every 3 minutes, and every 6 minutes the reaction is one of anaphylaxis. The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and the U.S. Department of Justice have determined food allergies may be deemed a disability that requires accommodation under federal disability laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Additionally, the OCR issued a “Dear Colleague” letter on October 21, 2014 that reminds schools that the bullying of a student with a disability may result in the denial of a free and appropriate public education and addresses the school’s obligation in remedying the bullying and its effects. The letter confirms that such bullying need not be peer to peer for the student to be protected, but includes bullying by teachers and administrators.

In today’s times of school shootings and the increased awareness of bullying and the effects of bullying, it is astounding to hear any person in authority make such a cavalier, insensitive, and offensive “joke” about students with disabilities. We do not expect that such a remark would have been tolerated, much less laughed at, if it were made about students with other disabilities. Furthermore, the acceptance of such comments from one of your highest school officials would lead one to question whether this dismissive attitude towards life-threatening food allergies is pervasive throughout your district. It is very concerning that no remedial action has been taken since this remark was made, not even an apology. One would hope that this is due to a mere lack of education regarding food allergies.

As such, FAACT would like to offer education seminars for your board officials, as well as district-wide staff seminars. We would like to help you resolve this glaring issue and are willing to offer our services free of charge. We hope that you will accept this offer, as we work with many national education organizations. We look forward to hearing from you, as we know you will attempt to rectify this situation.

Sincerely,                    

Eleanor Garrow-Holding                                                       Amelia Smith Murphree, JD
FAACT President & CEO                                                        FAACT General Counsel & Vice President
                                                                                                          of Civil Rights Advocacy

FAACT

A Statement from the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team about Racism, Food Allergy Disparities, and Health Inequities

June 7, 2020

We at the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) stand in solidarity with the Black community and condemn systemic racism. Recent devastating events have left many in our nation and in our food allergy community grieving and suffering pain, anger, and fear in which no words can accurately describe. Within our food allergy community, overwhelming racial, economic and health inequities exist. But we can stop systemic racism and address these inequalities.

FAACT is standing up to structural racism and food allergy disparities.

We are listening. We are listening to Black and people of color food allergy leaders who have been suffering in our own community and nation to hear their words clearly.

We are learning. We are starting with ourselves and are internally addressing implicit bias, structural racism and diversity and inclusion. We are committed to having the hard conversations. We commit to meeting with Black and people of color community leaders to learn how we can support their efforts.

We are acting today. We are committed to long-term sustainable practices, diversity and inclusion in our leadership, volunteers, events, and activities. We commit to encouraging food allergy researchers to focus on food allergy disparities. We commit to racially safe and inclusive events and activities. We will continue to work to support the food insecure and those who are at-risk. And, we commit to creating a Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board to help us better understand and serve our community.

We need to do better. We will do better. Not just for today, but every day.

Living in Empathy

FAACT Is Learning to Live in Empathy

June 17, 2020
 
“We need to do better. We will do better. Not just for today, but every day.” #FAACT made this commitment on June 7, 2020. But as an organization, we knew that we could not do this alone. Our team needed professional guidance and assistance.
 
Starting today, our entire team explores racism, disparities, and inequity by starting with ourselves on a deeply personal level. FAACT knows that change begins with each individual before we can impact the organization. Erin Matthews, LCSW and Nima Novak, founders of Living in Empathy, are leading us in four workgroup sessions, and we are grateful. These group sessions are safe, shame-free spaces for our team to learn about white fragility and our roles, unconscious bias, talking to our children about race, and learning about key phrases and questions to disrupt racist conversations.
 
“We invite our peers and communities to explore this type of work to make change across our nation”, states Eleanor Garrow-Holding, FAACT’s President & CEO. Garrow-Holding says, “We look forward to our experiences and staying true to our long-term commitments and goals.”
 
Please visit https://www.erinmatthewslcsw.com/white-fragility-group to learn more about the very important and much needed work they are doing.
 
MT

FAACT Partners with MenuTrinfo®

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2021

Dining Out Can Be Life-Threatening for Adults and Children with Food Allergies

MenuTrinfo® and FAACT Join Forces Forward with AllerTrain™
Suite of Courses, the Proven Leader in Food Allergy Food Service Training Since 2011

Fort Collins, Colorado: For more than 32 million Americans living with food allergies, eating at the school cafeteria or a local restaurant is not merely a convenience, it’s a gamble – with potentially fatal consequences. The food service industries food allergy expert, MenuTrinfo®, is partnering with the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) to make serving those with food allergies even safer for the next decade through this new partnership.

Together, FAACT and MenuTrinfo® will continue to provide leading-edge food allergy education, risk-reduction strategies, and emergency preparedness plans to food service facilities so they can safely serve people living with food allergies as well as their families, friends, and colleagues.

MenuTrinfo’s AllerTrain™ program launched in 2011, accredited by ANSI in 2014 and the leading platform in the food service industry since then, provides eLearning and in-person training. This ground-breaking partnership brought the expert oversight and additional content vetted by FAACT’s Medical Advisory Board to achieve even stronger and clearer education for those who complete the training. Courses are available in English and Spanish with additional languages on the horizon.  

The food allergy training courses continue to teach food service professionals:

  • Top foods that cause allergic reactions
  • Proper protocol for preparing food to avoid cross-contact with allergens
  • How to better serve diners with special dietary needs
  • Recommendations for policy implementation
  • Information on current and pending legislation in each state

Through this food allergy training program, AllerTrain™ and FAACT will help food service professionals on all levels to better handle gluten-free and food allergen requests, avoid food allergy-related incidents, and prepare for onsite food allergy emergencies should they occur.

As the nation’s leading food allergy advocacy organization, FAACT's vast educational resources combined with MenuTrinfo's premier AllerTrain™ training programs will bridge trust and loyalty between consumers and the food service industry. 

“We are excited to partner with MenuTrinfo® on the AllerTrain™ programs”, says Eleanor Garrow-Holding, FAACT President and CEO. “These education programs are a must for all food service personnel managing any students or consumers with food allergies, Celiac disease, and/or intolerances. The programs consist of education from the front-of-the-house to the back-of-the-house, and for those in management. We are honored to partner with MenuTrinfo® and look forward to collaborating on much needed education resources and programing in the college/university, K-12 schools, and restaurant settings for years to come.”

“I am thrilled to be able to partner my company’s business initiatives with FAACT’s mission.” says Betsy Craig, Founder and CEO at MenuTrinfo®. “We as a company have always looked to nonprofit leading entities who serve the community we care most about. FAACT meets that mission and then some. It is an honor to make the connection with FAACT now an official partnership. MenuTrinfo’s training, allergen charts for food service, a database of products that are safe to use in certified free-from areas and many more services from the food service professionals to those same professionals.”

About MenuTrinfo®

MenuTrinfo® is a one-stop-shop for restaurants, education food service providers, and companies producing consumer packaged goods who are catering to the food allergy community. Our mission is to protect lives and health through nutrition and training, and we do so in our suite of services. By providing three major services: certified nutritional information and food allergy/ gluten-free identification in recipes, food safety and allergen/gluten-free training (AllerTrain™), and full-service kitchen audits for facilities and products known as “Certified Free From™” any of the top 8 allergens, MenuTrinfo® is dedicated to making the food-service industry safe for those dining with food allergies and sensitivities. 

About The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT)

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 or call (513) 342-1293, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube.


Media Contacts:

Victoria Zelefsky, MenuTrinfo’s Director of Marketing
(970) 295-4370 or victoria@menutrinfo.com

Eleanor Garrow-Holding, FAACT’s President and CEO
(815) 276-3015 or Eleanor.Garrow@FoodAllergyAwareness.org

# # #

DBV

May 10, 2023

DBV Technologies Announces New England Journal of Medicine Publication of Phase 3 EPITOPE Trial Data Evaluating Viaskin™ Peanut in Toddlers


DBV is advancing regulatory efforts for Viaskin Peanut in toddlers ages 1 – 3 years old with a confirmed peanut allergy, reinforcing the potential of a new food allergy treatment option for this community.
 
In this trial involving children 1 to 3 years of age with peanut allergy, epicutaneous immunotherapy for 12 months was superior to placebo in desensitizing children to peanuts and increasing the peanut dose that triggered allergic symptoms.
 
Visit DBV Technologies to read their full press release.
 
You may read the New England Journal of Medicine Publication here.
 
Media Contact:
Angela Marcucci
DBV Technologies
+1 646-842-2393
angela.marcucci@dbv-technologies.com
ARS

May 11, 2023

FDA Advisory Committee Votes in Support of Favorable Benefit-Risk Profile for neffy® (Intranasal (IN) Epinephrine) for the Treatment of Allergic Reactions (Type 1), Including Anaphylaxis

ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to empowering at-risk patients and caregivers to better protect themselves from severe allergic reactions that could lead to anaphylaxis, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Pulmonary-Allergy Drug Advisory Committee (PADAC) voted 16:6 in favor for adults, and 17:5 in favor for children (<18 years of age and ≥30 kg), that available data support a favorable benefit-risk assessment for neffy in the treatment of severe allergic reaction (Type 1), including anaphylaxis, for adults and children who weigh more than 30kg. If approved, it could be available in the second half of 2023.

Visit ARS-Pharma to learn more.

Media Contact:
Laura O'Neill
FINN Partners
laura.oneill@finnpartners.com

FAACT

Submitted to FDA on April 25, 2023

Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee Meeting
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Docket number is FDA-2023-N-0984
May 11, 2023

Fear. It’s the one constant in the lives of every parent whose child has a life-threatening allergy. Will my child be exposed to peanuts today? Or get stung by a bee? Or react to latex balloons someone brought to a party? And the even scarier question: Will they get an epinephrine injection in time?

For decades, auto-injectable epinephrine has been the only treatment that can halt anaphylaxis after someone is exposed to a life-threatening allergen. And patients have been thankful for it. But the reality is that too many parents and adult patients have held back on administering auto-injectable epinephrine—even when it is clearly needed—out of another type of fear: Fear about what the injection may do to their body or simply a fear of needles(1). And as a result, there have been unnecessary deaths.

That’s why the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team—a national nonprofit that works to educate, advocate, and raise awareness for all individuals and families affected by food allergies and life-threatening anaphylaxis—is so excited about neffy®, a smaller alternative epinephrine nasal spray currently under FDA review. We truly believe this product will save lives by eliminating access barriers to this critical treatment.

As one FAACT Teen Retreat participant shared, “As a college student and athlete with food allergies, I have a real fear of needles. It terrifies me to think I might need to use an auto-injector on campus one day. But what I fear more than the needle is my hesitation to use an auto-injector during a life and death situation.” Patient and caregiver hesitation is a serious concern. In one study, researchers discovered that “even when parents were witnessing their child suffering a severe reaction, the thought of giving a needle often seems an overly invasive intervention, despite the fact that they recognize it is necessary.”(2)

If children are raised witnessing parent/caregiver hesitation, we worry that as adults they will continue to potentially delay treatment. One study demonstrated that a majority (56%) of parents expressed fear regarding the use of an emergency auto-injector.(3)

Auto-injectors can also be bulky to carry around—particularly in a pair as recommended by medical professionals. They are also very temperature sensitive, limiting where they can be stored and requiring special care to keep epinephrine nearby (such as storing them in a cooler on a hot summer day outdoors). We are hopeful that the neffy® nasal spray will address these barriers to treatment as well.

The Voice of the Patient Report, published in October 2022 by the Food Allergy Collaborative—a coalition of eight food allergy organizations (including FAACT), people living with food allergies, industry partners, and FDA—highlights the need for less-invasive diagnostic and treatment options and urges development of new alternatives to auto-injectors to deliver epinephrine. Anything we can do to get epinephrine into the bodies of the people experiencing a life-threatening allergic reaction is a life saved.

Food allergies affect as many as 32 million Americans, including 26 million adults and 5.6 million children. We believe neffy® is a positive step forward in helping protect those 32 million lives. Thank you for your consideration.


Thank you,

Eleanor Garrow-Holding                                            Shahzad Mustafa, MD
President & Chief Executive Officer                            Chair, Medical Advisory Board

_____________________________________

1.      McLenon J, Rogers MAM. The fear of needles: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Adv Nurs. 2019 Jan;75(1):30-42. doi: 10.1111/jan.13818. Epub 2018 Sep 11. PMID: 30109720.

2.      Chad, L, Ben-Shoshan, M, Asai, Y, Cherkaoui, S, Alizadehfar, R, St-Pierre, Y, Harada, L, Allen, M, Clarke, A. A majority of parents of children with peanut allergy fear using the epinephrine auto-injector. Allergy 2013; 68: 1605– 1609.

3.      Chooniedass R, Temple B, Martin D, Becker A. A qualitative study exploring parents' experiences with epinephrine use for their child's anaphylactic reaction. Clin Transl Allergy. 2018 Oct 18;8:43. doi: 10.1186/s13601-018-0230-y. PMID: 30349666; PMCID: PMC6193301.

Walmart

Find Allergy-Friendly, Non-Food Fun Items at your local Walmart.