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Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) Launched

December 30, 2013  |  Allergy-Awareness, Anaphylaxis, Education, Food-Allergy, Welcome

To educate and advocate for all individuals and families affected by food allergy and life-threatening anaphylaxis 

Life-threatening food allergies affect more than 15 million Americans, including 6 million children 

(West Chester, Ohio) A new nonprofit organization launched today is taking the American public and the food allergy community to a whole new level of support and compassion. The mission of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) is to educate, advocate, and raise awareness for families and individuals affected by food allergies and life-threatening anaphylaxis. FAACT is the brain child of CEO Eleanor Garrow-Holding, who has created a team of top U.S. advocates and a world-renowned Medical Advisory Board. 

Garrow-Holding provides leadership for all of FAACT’s initiatives and programs, including conferences across the country, education for school and restaurant staff, and statewide legislation and civil rights advocacy for students. FAACT will also grow her very successful Camp TAG (The Allergy Gang) – a summer camp for children with food allergies and their siblings that Garrow-Holding founded in 2009. 

Among her work in the food allergy arena, Garrow-Holding served as vice president of education and outreach for the Food Allergy& Anaphylaxis Network for almost four years, where she presented at national and regional conferences about food allergy management in school and restaurant settings and educated personnel in schools and school districts across the country. She also advocated for the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Management Act (FAAMA) on Capitol Hill with her son and helped pioneer the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act that was recently signed into law by President Obama. She has been interviewed extensively by the media and has written for Allergic Living and Living Without magazines. She has also worked to increase food allergy awareness among staff at numerous food industry companies and entertainment venues, including McDonald’s Corporation, The Hain Celestial Group, Mars Chocolate North America, and all SeaWorld Parks. 

“Many tragic and preventable deaths have occurred through the years from anaphylaxis,” says Garrow-Holding. “To think that a life can be lost simply by coming into contact with a food item is motivation in itself to arm and educate the community. Food allergy is a chronic illness and is a life-long journey with social and economic challenges. FAACT will provide professional resources and guidance for families, peer-to-peer support, podcasts, webinars, restaurant and educational materials, civil rights advocacy, government relations, and so much more. We are linking our families to your families to ensure the safety for everyone affected by food allergies and anaphylaxis.”