5 Ways to Promote Allergy Awareness Week Year Round
Happy Allergy Awareness Week !
So, what have you done this week to raise awareness in your community about food allergies? I know I’ve been busy all week chatting up allergy bloggers about Zeer and raising awareness about the allergy-friendly features on our site. But what about if you don’t work for a site like Zeer? It’s difficult to be an allergy advocate when you don’t have allergies or know someone who does. However, if you’re curious about how you can help those who are allergic, allergy awareness week is a great way to start.
Educate Yourself
Before you can become an allergy advocate in your community, you need to become a beacon of awareness yourself. Brush up on your allergy education by reading a few gems by Allergic bloggers such as Gluten-Free Girl , Peanut Free Mama , or Allergy-free eating. Reading about the lives of allergic people or their loved ones will help you draw a connection to their quest to find safe food to eat and your own daily struggles.
Seeking a great place to start your education? Be sure to check out Check My Tag’s awesome (and informative) Living with Food Allergies Carnival featuring over 10 great blog posts from around the allergy blogosphere.
Start the Conversation
You might be amazed at how powerful a simple conversation can be.
Just yesterday, I bumped into Barbara and Becky who I know from Yelp on the street in Davis Square. Somehow we got into a conversation about a thread that was on Zeer recently between me and Tracey M about Peanut Allergies in school.
In recent years, (due to severe allergies that are developing in children) elementary schools are raising awareness about severe allergies by moving their school to a peanut-free program. Whether their child is allergic or not, parents must pack peanut free lunches for their children. Goodbye Peanut Butter , hello Soynut Butter . Now, because they’re required to by the school, more and more parents are checking food labels and finding peanut-free products to pack in their kid’s lunches making it a safe place to eat and play for all children.
While Babara knew all about allergies because she was Soy allergic and her child also attends a peanut-free school, Becky was shocked to find out how severe a peanut allergy can be (the whiff of peanuts could cause a severe reaction in some children).
As the conversation progressed, Barbara (who runs a bakery) shared a touching story with me about how a grandmother had come into her pastry shop and said her son had never had a birthday cake because he’s allergic to eggs, wheat and dairy! She wasn’t sure how to help her, so I referred her to the Food Allergy Queen who covers similar topics. The funny thing is, had I not brought up peanut allergies in schools, the chance of sharing this incredible information was very slim.
Blog It Out
The internet has given us some amazing tools to promote allergy awareness. Whether you’re allergic or not, blogging about allergy-friendly new products or experiences is a great way to help users get unbiased information.
When I was blogging over at Smart Destinations, I wrote a post about Gluten Free Oahu. It was only one post, but while I was working there, it got tons of traffic. Obviously the information was helpful to a few travelers but what I liked most about that entry is that it proved that niche topics are never too niche to help someone out.
The more specific you are in your titles and tags, the easier it will be for people with specific allergic needs to find your post. Right now those searching for Gluten Free Oahu will find my post right away . So if you’ve got a great allergy story or tip, blog it out and start the conversation – you might be amazed who you help along the way!
Promote Local Restaurants that Offer Allergy Friendly Options
If you see a new allergy friendly restaurant or new allergen-free pastry at your local pastry shop, let your friends and community know. When Kickass Cupcakes in Boston started selling Gluten-Free cupcakes, I was sure to let my Celiac friend know right away. The smile on her face when she found out was enough to guarantee that I’ll shout it from the rooftops whenever I discover a new allergy-free option!
The more support local places get from the allergic community, the better. If bakeries and restaurants who don’t provide allergy friendly options catch wind that they’re losing loyal and happy customers to allergic friendly institutions, they might just change their policies so that allergic individuals can get access to safe, allergy-lovin’ products.
Ask your Local Supermarket to Carry Specific Allergy Friendly Foods
Contact the buyer at your local supermarket and ask them to consider selling a particular allergy-friendly product they don’t carry. The more specific you are the better. In some cases, they might special order the product just for you or a friend.
What about you? How are you raising allergy awareness year round?