Food Allergy Research & Education Celebrates Community With 2018 Food Allergy Heroes Walk

From April to December, 40 events nationwide will elevate food allergy awareness and fundraise to support vital research, education and advocacy initiatives

McLEAN, Va. (April 18, 2018) – Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) is pleased to announce the launch of our 2018 Food Allergy Heroes Walk. This year’s walk celebrates the everyday heroes in our community – families, educators, health professionals, emergency responders, food workers and more – whose dedication helps keep the 15 million Americans with food allergies safe.

Now in its second year, FARE’s Food Allergy Heroes Walk (formerly the FARE Walk for Food Allergy) makes an impact both locally and nationally. Walk events create a safe, welcoming environment where all those affected by food allergies can put the walk’s tagline – “Connect. Unite. Inspire” – into action, uniting to share inspiration and forge lasting connections. This year, walks in 40 cities will raise much-needed funds to advance FARE’s mission, improving the life and health of individuals with food allergies and providing hope through the promise of new treatments.

“We are proud to bring FARE’s Food Allergy Heroes Walk to communities across the country,” said CEO and Chief Medical Officer James R. Baker, Jr. “The past two decades have seen an explosion in food allergy prevalence. We don’t know the causes of this epidemic, which now affects 1 in 13 children, and we don’t have any approved treatments yet. The walks help protect children and adults with food allergies, both by drawing attention to this life-changing and potentially life-threatening disease, and by providing vital funds for food allergy research, education and advocacy.”

Starting in 2004, when support group leaders created the first food allergy walk in Chicago, heroes have come together each year to foster awareness of food allergy as a serious public health issue. Since then, walk teams have raised more than $26 million to search for effective treatments, educate their communities, and advocate for policies that promote safety and inclusion for individuals and families managing food allergy.

Donations and sponsorships in support of the walks have funded cutting-edge research, world-class educational programs that help individuals live well with food allergies, grassroots advocacy that has expanded access to life-saving epinephrine in schools and other public places, and awareness campaigns that have elevated the profile of food allergy nationally.

To view a list of walks, register or donate, visit www.foodallergywalk.org.

FARE’s Food Allergy Heroes Walk is made possible in part thanks to generous support from National Strategic Partner OWYN – Only What You Need, gold sponsor Enjoy Life Foods and silver sponsors Nice ‘N CLEAN Premium Wet Wipes and SunButter.