WEBINAR AND GROUP DISCUSSION: Grandparents/Grandfriends Holiday Bootcamp: Making the Holidays Special and Safe With Food Allergy
This webinar and group discussion will share practical strategies for celebrating with greater safety, including how to prevent cross-contact in the kitchen, read food labels, and host a holiday gathering where everyone can participate.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026, 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. ET
The holidays bring family, traditions, and favorite foods to the table, but they can also bring unique challenges when your grandchild has a food allergy. This webinar and group discussion will share practical strategies for celebrating with greater safety, including how to prevent cross-contact in the kitchen, read food labels, and host a holiday gathering where everyone can participate.
You will also hear real-life tips and lessons learned from grandparents who understand what it’s like to navigate food allergy within a family. During the final 20 minutes, participants will break into small groups to share experiences, ask questions, and learn from each other.
If you have a grandchild or are a grandfriend to a child with food allergies, join us for our upcoming Holiday Bootcamp to learn how to make holiday traditions, family gatherings, and celebrations special, safe, and welcoming. If you know someone who could benefit, please share this opportunity with them so they too can create joyful holiday memories with the children they love.
About the Moderator
Kelly Cleary, MD, MPH
Dr. Kelly Cleary is the Medical Director and Vice President of Health and Education for FARE. She oversees FARE’s national education efforts and maintains a variety of programs and resources for the food allergy community. Previously, Kelly was the Medical Director of Psychopharmacology for PM Behavioral Health. Kelly also co-founded UrgiKids, a pediatric urgent care in Naperville, Illinois. A graduate of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Kelly completed her Pediatrics residency at New York Presbyterian Cornell, and finished her Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellowship at NYU-Bellevue. Kelly recently received her master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in May 2026.
About the Panelists
Denise Bunning
Denise A. Bunning is an educator, support group leader, and advocate who works to improve the lives of children with food allergies. Denise co-founded and currently manages MOCHA (Mothers of Children Having Allergies) – a support group for food-allergic families. She also serves on the Board of Directors for FARE, the Founders’ Board of Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, and The Women's Board of Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital.
Previously, Denise also served on a committee organized by the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health to author Guidelines for Managing Life-Threatening Food Allergies in Illinois Schools, which served as the basis for school board policies state-wide. Additionally, she co-authored The Food Allergy Experience with Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH, the Founding Director of the Center for Food Allergy & Asthma Research at Northwestern University.
Denise earned a BA in Early Childhood/Special Education from Boston College, an MSED in special education from Northern Illinois University, and a CAS in school administration from National Louis University. Denise and her husband of 35 years, Dave, have two adult sons with life-threatening food allergy and eosinophilic esophagitis. Denise is also a doting Nana to one granddaughter.
Jim Pontarelli, MBA, MSW, LCSW
Jim is a retired communications executive and devoted grandfather to two boys with peanut, egg, and tree nut allergies. He is also a licensed clinical social worker. With a recent focus on public health communications, Jim has participated in dozens of interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of target populations, including those with diabetes, heart disease, substance use disorder, HIV, and behavioral health challenges. He was strategic counsel to the Yale School of Public Health.
Jim began his career working in the United States Senate and went on to lead government affairs programs for Fortune 100 corporations. Post retirement, his most recent advocacy efforts have focused on updating state laws regarding emergency access to epinephrine, including requiring epinephrine delivery devices in police vehicles.
In addition to his grandfather duties and advocacy work for FARE, Jim is a freelance writer and documentary photographer capturing daily life in lower Manhattan. Jim graduated from Providence College, attended law school at Catholic University, has an MBA from University of Rhode Island, and a MSW from Rhode Island College.