FARE Announces Winners of Inaugural Campus Awards
Awards recognize colleges, universities who go above and beyond to provide creative, inclusive food options for students with food allergies
McLean, Va. (November 6, 2020) – On the final day of its College Summit, FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), the world’s leading non-governmental organization engaged in food allergy advocacy and the largest private funder of food allergy research, announced the winners of its inaugural College Awards honoring two categories: Community Choice and Best Campus Dining.
“This year has been unlike anything we could have predicted, and those most impacted by COVID-19 include the nation’s college students,” said Lisa Gable, chief executive officer of FARE. “This year we are recognizing schools who do all they can to offer creative, inclusive and well-labeled food options for those in their student body and on campus who are living with life-threatening food allergies.”
The Community Choice Award, which was nominated and voted on by the food allergy community, went to Baylor University for its highly collaborative work among dining, disability and housing services. The school also offers a Worry-Free Station, which is a dedicated kitchen free from peanuts, tree nuts, gluten, and shellfish.
“I have worried about my son his entire life. I became a stay at home mom just to volunteer at the schools,” said a Baylor University student’s parent. “Baylor has done such an amazing job; I feel comfortable sending him 900 miles away.”
The Best Campus Dining Award went to Michigan State University for having a dining hall free of the Top 8 allergens and providing allergy-friendly options across their campus dining halls. Michigan State also offers a Top-8-free concession stand option in its football stadium where guests can order customized food bowls.
FARE’s College Summit 2020 was held virtually and brought together more than 275 higher education food service leaders representing dozens of institutions for three days of interactive sessions and a mixture of live and on-demand content on topics including the creation of allergy-friendly menus, food allergy and disability law, understanding the supply chain and quality control, menu transparency and more.
To learn more about the FARE College Summit 2020 and FARE’s College Program, visit: foodallergy.org/collegesummit
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About FARE
FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) is the leading nonprofit organization that empowers the food allergy patient across the journey of managing their disease. FARE delivers innovation by focusing on three strategic pillars—advocacy, research, and education—united by the through line of health equity. FARE’s initiatives accelerate the future of food allergy through effective policies and legislation, novel strategies toward prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, and building awareness and community. For more information, visit FoodAllergy.org.