SEPHORA IN BROOKLYN FUNDRAISER WILL BENEFIT KIDS WITH FOOD ALLERGIES

The Event Caps a Months-Long Awareness Effort to Reach New Families

(BROOKLYN HEIGHTS – October 1, 2014) Food allergies affect 1 in 13 school children in the U.S. In an effort to raise awareness around this issue, Sephora – a leading beauty retail chain – will be hosting a fundraising event in Brooklyn Heights on Saturday, October 18, from 10 am to 8 pm. The Sephora store is located at 210 Joralemon St., between Court Street and Adams Street, in Brooklyn, New York.

Kids With Food Allergies (KFA), a division of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), will be presented with a donation from the Sephora store plus additional donations received from generous customers at the time of their beauty product purchases at the checkout counter. The counter drive will continue through November. The proceeds will help support ACCESS KFA.

“ACCESS KFA is one of our most important initiatives,” said Heidi Bayer, an AAFA Board Member and long-time supporter of KFA. “ACCESS KFA aims to create new educational resources to reach vulnerable populations who are at risk for anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. Through printed materials and local outreach, ACCESS KFA seeks educate families raising children with food allergies. The goal is to increase understanding of the serious nature of food allergies, how to avoid reactions, and the importance of treating anaphylaxis immediately treated with an injection of the life-saving medication, epinephrine.”

Bayer, a Brooklyn resident and leader of a local KFA-affiliated food allergy support group for parents, said ACCESS KFA will use the proceeds for its programs to educate families and the community about preventing food allergy reactions and knowing how to respond to allergy emergencies. The education programs include free webinars, resource materials in Spanish, and educational resources in an easy-to-understand format. The event on October 18th will include a food drive to collect shelf-stable allergy friendly foods for children with food allergies. These foods are often in short supply or nonexistent at food banks or during times of natural disasters.

About Food Allergy

Food allergy is a serious public health priority affecting millions of adults and children. An estimated 1 in 13 children in the U.S. now have one or more food allergies, and studies show a rise in prevalence over the past 10-20 years. Despite the risk of severe allergic reactions known as anaphylaxis, which can be fatal, there is no cure or preventative treatment for food allergy. Allergen avoidance and management of allergen-restricted diets is crucial to prevent allergic reactions. Prompt treatment when faced with an allergy emergency is essential to save lives.

About Kids With Food Allergies

Kids With Food Allergies (KFA) is a division of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. KFA is dedicated to keeping children safe and healthy through patient education regarding the nutritional implications of managing allergen-restricted diets, preventing reactions by avoiding allergens and being prepared to promptly manage and treat allergic reactions. KFA is an essential part of the food allergy and anaphylaxis community offering free patient education programs, webinars, an allergy buyers’ guide, an electronic database of allergen-free recipes and more. Most notably, KFA hosts the largest and most active online food allergy and anaphylaxis community on its website, a critical platform for parents and caregivers who want to network with others about raising kids with food allergies and related diseases. KFA merged to become a division of AAFA in 2013. For more information visit www.kidswithfoodallergies.org.

About AAFA

Founded in 1953 and celebrating 60 years of service, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is the oldest and largest nonprofit patient organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with asthma, allergies and related conditions through education, advocacy and research. AAFA provides practical information, community based services, support and referrals through a national network of chapters and educational support groups. AAFA also sponsors research toward better treatments and a cure for asthma and allergic diseases. For more information about AAFA, visit www.aafa.org.