Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE, FoodAllergy.org) Named “Non-Profit Grassroots Organization of the Year”

McLEAN, Va. (March 28, 2024) – Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE, FoodAllergy.org), the leading non-profit organization engaged in food allergy advocacy, and the largest private funder of food allergy research in the US, today announced it has been named “Grassroots Organization of the Year ” by Campaigns and Elections, receiving a prestigious Reed Award in recognition of “the most exceptional work in campaigning from the preceding year.” 

The Reed awards “embody excellence in political campaigning and grassroots & advocacy” and more than 100 honorees were announced during a ceremony held last week in Charleston, SC.

FARE’s three-person Advocacy team was honored for key accomplishments at both the state and federal level including:  

• In the states:  FARE worked on 22 state bills with nine signed into law including legislation that successfully caps the cost of EpiPens in Illinois and Colorado while passing food allergy restaurant training bills in Connecticut and Texas. FARE held food allergy awareness events in Albany, NY and Hartford, CT and participated in a bill signing sessions in Maryland.
• At the Federal level: FARE brought together more than 160 advocates to its Courage at Congress event in March where advocates met with 29 members of Congress; worked to introduce H.R. 4263 known as the ADINA Act that would label medicine for top-nine allergens and gluten and secured 28 cosponsors; recruited seven new members to the Congressional Food Allergy Research Caucus; held 73 August recess meetings with members and staff; conducted the first ever Food Allergy Caucus staff briefing drawing 51 staffers; and organically recruited 6,249 new grassroots advocates at no cost.
• Fighting for the FASTER Act: Waged intense battle in the press, in Congress, and at the FDA over baking companies intentionally adding sesame to previously safe products to avoid cleaning their lines and complying with the FASTER Act. Appeared in stories in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Las Vegas Review-Journal, AP, and FOX News.

FARE’s advocacy team driving this work includes:

Jason Linde, Senior Vice President, Advocacy
Robert Earl, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, and
Joe Kalmin, Senior Director of Government Affairs.

For more information on how to join in the great advocacy work that FARE is doing, please visit us here or send an email to advocacy@foodallergy.org