Happy Holidays and Happy New Year MOCHA Family! ❄️

The MOCHA team would like to share our gratitude to all of our incredible partners, advocates, and friends. It is an honor and privilege to work alongside such passionate individuals who share our commitment to improve the lives of children and families with allergic conditions. We thank you all for your support and look forward to all our exciting collaborations this 2024!

We hope you all have a happy and healthy holiday season. We love helping you! Here is how you can help us, be sure to follow MOCHA on Facebook and Instagram, to keep up-to-date on all the exciting things happening.

MOCHA is about sharing everything with everyone to help make life with food allergies an incredible experience. Life with food allergies is so much better when you do it with people like you who understand your challenges and celebrate your successes. Keeping up with technology, MOCHA has been working behind the scenes to update our website platform to be more user-friendly, ADA-compliant, and accessible for interns to gain new and valuable communication, social media, and website skills!

We invite you to drop by the website and share it with friends, family, and everyone who engages with or loves someone with food allergies. Be sure to check out our updated MOCHA website and special thanks to Caroline, Elizabeth, Annie and Sam from CFAAR and the website team who helped make this possible.

Stay Safe!

Denise, Anne, and the MOCHA Interns 💜

Thank you to Denise and Anne for all their incredible work they do for MOCHA!

-The MOCHA Interns

Camp Blue Spruce is excited to announce our 4-part speaker series. Held once a month from January through April, these interactive presentations will combine community, education and fun. All ages are welcome. First up on January 21st at 12pm PST, join our very own Kyle Dine - performer, educator, musician, entrepreneur, puppeteer, and speaker - as he performs an interactive concert featuring uplifting songs and stories reflecting upon his many years living with severe food allergies.



Kyle Dine is an educator and musician who performs at schools across North America raising food allergy awareness. Over the past 6 years, he has performed at over 1,000 schools and reached over one million students. He has grown up managing his own allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, seafood and mustard. His songs help empower, support, and educate all children. He has released two professional CDs.

This speaker series is made possible through a community award from Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), generous supporters of our community! RSVP here!

The countdown is on to the 2024 AAAAI Annual Meeting in Washington, DC! In just a few months, thousands of allergy/immunology professionals who work in research, practice and industry will convene for four days of transformative education, interactive training opportunities and collaboration. February 23rd will be here before you know it, so don’t wait to snag your badge! Learn more!

Check out all the APFED’s Eos Support Webinar Series for patients and families to connect and learn. Each webinar is 1 hour. Watch past webinar recordings here.

Registration is now open for the Overnight Camp 2024 season at Camp Blue Spruce! The camp will take place August 12- August 17, 2024. We look forward to seeing all the campers this coming summer. Learn more and register today!

Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) and MenuTrinfo are coming together to bring to you the first ever Food Allergy Safety Summit…for Hospitality!

Formerly separate events, the FARE Food Service Summit and the MenuTrinfo FASI (Food Allergy Symposium for Industry), this joint event will bring together thought leaders across the industry to share best practices in food allergy safety. It will be held in-person at the University of Maryland, College Park on March 20-21, 2024. There will also be a pre-event road trip to see food allergy safety in action on March 19!  MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON!

2023 FARE Summit Recap

The FARE Food Allergy Summit took place October 13-15, 2023 in Orlando, Florida! The event brought together those impacted by food allergies. It was three days of educational sessions, insightful discussions and meaningful connections. MOCHA attended and it was a great weekend for the food allergy community to come together to connect and learn. A BIG congrats to Melissa who received the Denise Bunning Community Leadership Award!

MOCHA got to connect with friends within the food allergy community!

Katelyn, one of our awesome MOCHA interns attended this year's FARE Summit in October! She enjoyed her time connecting with the food allergy community and attending sessions! Congrats to Carlo Steinman for winning the FARE Young Leader Award.

Recent FARE Webinar

Too much? Not enough? Parenting at the JUST RIGHT Balance of Food Allergy Anxiety

Speakers: Kelly Cleary, MD, FAAP and Tamara Hubbard, LCPC

Watch the recording here!

FARE Announces $1.2M Request For Application to Support Collaborative Projects on Tree Nut Allergy Research

As their name suggests, tree nuts grow on trees and do not include peanut, which is a legume (bean) that grows underground. In the U.S., tree nut allergy is the fourth most common food allergy among both children and adults, affecting 3.9 million people. The six tree nut allergies most frequently reported in U.S. residents are walnut, almond, hazelnut, pecan, cashew, and pistachio. Read more.

Anaphylaxis Poster Translated Into 18 Languages! Food allergies are found in countries around the world, and when seconds matter, it’s easier to respond if you can read the instructions in a language you know well. That’s why FARE has added eight new translations of our Recognize and Respond to Anaphylaxis poster. In addition to the languages previously available – English, Spanish, Arabic, Mandarin, French, German, Hindi, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese – the 2023 translations include Cantonese, Italian, Marshallese, Polish, Russian, Somali, Ukrainian, and Urdu. Together, these languages are spoken by 300,000,000 U.S. residents! Check out the posters!

Brittany Mahomes is teaming up with OWYN this Holiday season for a six-figure donation match to FARE to help fund food allergy research, education, and safety. OWYN protein shakes are not only SO good, but they’re also Top 9 Allergen Free and she love the company’s commitment to ingredient transparency and support of FARE. Learn more and donate today!

Pictured above the CFAAR Forward Study Team!

Happy Holidays from CFAAR! It's been another awesome year for our friends at CFAAR! There are many exciting events, educational programs and conferences coming up in 2024! Keep reading for more updates on all the exciting things happening!

Apply for CFAAR Scholars

The CFAAR Scholars Program is a summer internship opportunity for undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. This internship strengthens student's skills in epidemiological, clinical, and community-based research topics. Students will attend weekly didactic sessions to learn from and be in conversation with CFAAR faculty, staff, and research collaborators.  Applications are open, apply below! At CFAAR, we look to find answers and shape policies surrounding food allergy, asthma and other allergic conditions.

Apply for CFAAR Ambassadors

The CFAAR Ambassadors Program is a week-long experience that provides high school students an in-depth introduction to public health research, medical interventions, advocacy, policy, and health careers.    

CFAAR Ambassadors will work directly with CFAAR faculty and research staff to learn and integrate skills that will challenge students to critically evaluate scientific manuscripts, interpret outcomes and data, and develop critical thinking skills to explore the world of public health research. Students will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions with undergraduate and medical students, physicians and medical professionals, community advocates, data scientists and more.  

Recent Publications

Clinical Management of Seafood Allergy

What is a seafood allergy? Seafood includes both shellfish (ex: crustaceans and mollusks) and fish. Approximately 3% of US adults are allergic to shellfish and 1% of adults are allergic to fish.

Patients and their medical care team can work together to identify exactly which species are allergenic and how to avoid them.

About one in 260 people in the United States has a coconut allergy

About 1 in 260 people in the US reported symptoms consistent with an IgE-mediated coconut allergy. However, fewer than half of these people reported that their allergy was confirmed by a physician, said Dr. Shruti Sehgal of CFAAR.

CFAAR Treatment Series

Stay-tuned for updates on the upcoming CFAAR Treatment Series. The next panel will take place in February discussing eczema. Stay-tuned for updates! Feel empowered to make the best decision for your family. View the past panel zoom recordings here! 

Stay-tuned for updates on our next GFAPS conference in Chicago. Save the date for the Global Food Allergy Prevention Summit, it will be held Sunday, June 30 to Tuesday, July 2, 2024. The conference is for clinicians and researchers that seek to strategize the future of food allergy prevention.

Save the Date for the School Nurse Education Day! Learn more here!

UChicago Food Allergy Care, Education, and Translational Research Center (FACET) Updates:

FACET is actively enrolling for three research studies regarding food allergies:

• Are you a parent worried about your newborn developing food allergies? One study is investigating using investigational lotions and emollients to reduce the potential risk of food allergies in children with dry skin. To participate, you must be a parent/guardian with a newborn under 12 weeks old and willing to enroll your child. Participation may include clinic visits, sample collection, and questionnaires, as well as use of lotions and emollients. For more information, text or call (260) 306-5454, or email sealstudy@uchicago.edu. 

• FACET is conducting a research study on current oral immunotherapy treatment and the possible benefit of adding a prebiotic to the diet of kids ages 4 to 17 years old. For more information, fill out this survey, call Toni Ramirez at (773) 702-1220 ext. 50426, or email toni.ramirez@bsd.uchicago.edu.

• FACET is conducting a research study to improve the current standard for food allergy testing. Participation will include a single visit including a blood draw and $20 compensation. For more information, please contact Jamel Mansur, MD at (260) 306-5454 or jmansur7@uchicago.edu.

• FACET currently offers food oral immunotherapy in patients of all ages. Consultations are available at Hyde Park, South Loop, River East, Orland Park, and Merrillville, IN or via telemedicine. To schedule an appointment, please call 888-824-0200.

Check out Lurie Children's new mobile clinic! The new clinic gives providers access to see more patients across Chicago for physicals, well-child visits, immunizations, and even asthma care!

Food Allergy Support & Education (FASE) Program

• Food Allergy Support and Education (FASE) Program educates and supports our patients and families affected by food protein-induced immune disorders. We focus in particular on patients and families affected by IgE-mediated food allergy, but also food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). We aim to help patients and their families gain a more complete understanding of food allergy, and how they can live successfully despite it. Learn more!

We are currently recruiting patients for numerous food allergy studies:

PARK-Preventing Asthma in High Risk Kids:

This study looks at whether giving a medicine called omalizumab to high-risk children

will decrease their chance of developing asthma or decrease asthma severity.

We are recruiting 2-4-year-olds with allergies who have wheezed in the past year.

ADORED – Allergic Disease Onset Prevention Study:

This study examines the benefit of giving infants beneficial bacteria once per day to try

to prevent the development of atopic illnesses.

We are recruiting expectant mothers. The newborn must have an immediate family

member (biological mother, and/or biological father, and/or full sibling) with asthma, eczema, or any allergy.

ALK Peanut Sublingual Immunotherapy Study; Phase-1:

This study looks at the safety and tolerability of a new sublingual (under the tongue)

tablet containing peanut allergen at different doses.

We are recruiting 18-25-year-olds with a known peanut allergy.

For further information about these studies, please contact the Food Allergy Research Study Team at 312-227-6474 or allergyresearchnurse@luriechildrens.org

Do you have questions about food allergy treatment with oral immunotherapy (OIT)?

Latitude Food Allergy Care, clinics 100% focused on food allergy testing and treatment, offers weekly virtual Office Hours open to the community to learn more about OIT. Every Friday, 11:30am-12:30pm Central Time Hosted by Julie Bitler. Please email any questions to hello@latitudefac.com

The team at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the departments of Asthma and Allergy wish you & your family a happy & healthy holiday season. Thanks to those who are apart of the research studies!

Food Sensitivity and Allergy Testing

Finding the appropriate care is one of the most important steps when your child is diagnosed with a food allergy. The Food Allergy Program is led by Amal H. Assa'ad, MD, Director of Clinical Services, Division of Allergy and Immunology. Dr. Assa’ad is recognized internationally for her expertise in the care of patients with food allergies. Our team consists of physicians, nurses, dietitians and other team members experienced in the care of patients with food allergies. The goal of the Food Allergy Program is to improve the lives of patients with food allergies and their family members by providing expert care, innovative treatments and cutting-edge research. Patients in the Food Allergy Program are seen through the Allergy Clinic and Oral Immunotherapy Clinic. Learn more.

The talented investigators of the Mary H. Weiser Food Allergy Center are striving every day to advance understanding of the mechanisms and treatments of food allergy. Whether exploring the microbiome, the signaling behavior of cells or the possibilities of vaccines, these internationally recognized experts are passionate in their pursuit of new discovery. 

We're excited to share our faculty members' scientific updates, and more about the activities of the MHWFAC, in the annual magazine, Reaction. Read about the dedicated researchers' latest findings, outreach activities, the promising new members who are joining the team, and MHWFAC's innovative programs.

This 30-minute video on the MHWFAC YouTube channel provides a lay-friendly recap, for individuals with food allergies, their caregivers and the general public, of "Clinical Food Allergy: From Conception Onward," our 2023 M-FARA Symposium. Learn more about the important strides being made in food allergy research!

AAFA Joins Advocates on Capitol Hill in Support of Dillon’s Law and Expanded Access to Epinephrine.

Read the Article Here!

About one in 260 people in the United States has a coconut allergy. 

Read the Healio article Here!

These can be dreaded words to hear when you have a food allergy or a food intolerance. As someone who has managed multiple intolerances for years—and who has a daughter with nut allergies—it’s a question that pops up frequently when I’m eating out. 

Learn more Here!

Feinberg making new discoveries at the forefront of food allergy research. More than 100 million people in the U.S. experience various types of allergies each year, and allergies are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the country, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.  

Read more Here!

Coming Together for Good: A FARE Gala Raises $1,000,000 to Support Food Allergy Research.

Read Here!

In a recent FAC post, they explored what stress is and how it differs from anxiety, with specific mindfulness-based approaches for managing food allergy-related stress. 

Read more Here!

The Board of Directors of the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) is thrilled to welcome its newest officer, Mrs. Sarah Castro. Mrs. Castro is an experienced nonprofit professional with expertise in development, community fundraising, and volunteer engagement.

Read more.

The Holidays present a challenge for people with food allergies, just from the abundance of tempting food on offer.But they're also real-time opportunities to teach kids how to spot risks, sidestep them & build life skills to stay safe. Read for a holiday checklist to guide you.

Read more.

• FARE Clinical Trial Finder

FARE’s online tool simplifies your search for clinical trials to treat food allergy and some related conditions.

• Clinicaltrials.gov

A service of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), this website is a registry and database of publicly and privately supported clinical studies.



Chia Leah

Prepare for the holiday chaos, and feel energized. Thanks for letting us be a part of it! 

88 Acres

This simple cookie dough is the recipe to make. These allergen-friendly cookies are crispy on the edges, chewy in the center, and perfect for everybody. 

Safe and Fair

Try Safe and Fair's Safe + Fair Gingerbread Cookie Granola! Perfect for the holida season!

Tally Kids

This holiday season try Tally Kids Plant-Based Milk for Kids! 8g Protein and Powered by Chickpeas!

OWYN

Give joy this year! Protein shakes with allergen-friendly ingredients, a multi-source plant protein blend, superfood greens, and vegan omega-3s. Rich & decadent in flavor, ideal for on-the-go.



Liam's

Looking for a quick meal option that is free of the top allergens? Liam’s single serve frozen meals are the solution you have been looking for. Now available in over 100 stores (mainly MN & WI) but the team is working hard to continue to expand nationally. Check out their store locator to find a grocer near you! 



Hungry Harry's Baking Mixes

Perfect for the holidays! Hungry Harry's is on a mission to produce foods free from the 14 food groups that account for over 90% of food allergies - while crafting them to taste better than anything else out there. Our manufacturing facility is 100% free of the Top 14 too. 

Every Body Eat®

Try the grain free crispbread crackers!

Gluten Dude

The Gluten-Free App that puts your safety first! Download it today!

Allergy-Friendly Cookies

Get your ovens preheated because we baked up our annual Allergy-Friendly Holiday Cookie Recipe Guide. Each of the 65 cookies featured is free of at least 1 of the top 9 allergens and our sweet infographic makes it easy to find all the safe gingerbread, peppermint, sugar, thumbprint, chocolate, caramel, crinkle, shortbread, and Hanukkah cookies. See all the recipes on the Spokin App where we’ve already filtered them for your allergens!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

AAFA

Link here!

Allergic Living

Link here!

Allergy Amulet

Link here!

Allergy Awesomeness!

Link here!

Allergy Force

Link here!

APFED 

Link here!

Belay

Link here!

Camp Blue Spruce

Link here!

CFAAR

Link here!

Cincinnati Children's Hospital

Link here!

FAACT

Link here!

FARE

Link here!

Food Allergy Fund

Link here!

Food Allergy Science Initiative

Link here!

Food Equality Initiative

Link here!

FPIES

Survey link here!

Kyah Rayne Foundation

Link here!

Kids with Food Allergies

Link here!

Latitude

Link here!

Stanford

Link here!

Utah Food Allergy Network

Link here!

MOCHA INTERN CAFE

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

We hope you all enjoy the holiday season and the new year with your friends and family! 

As a part of MOCHA whether it's managing severe allergies and dietary restrictions personally, or having family members with allergies, we all have our own significant experiences navigating this complex challenge. We've learned how to advocate for ourselves, and we are all passionate about supporting others with food allergies. 

Denise and Anne at MOCHA both have allowed us to learn even more about the food allergy community, and further explore allergy-related opportunities. This past year, some of our favorite food allergy-related experiences have been writing for the MOCHA E-News, working on research with the Center for Allergy & Asthma Research at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, and posting on social media for MOCHA. Be sure to check out the allergy-friendly treats and enjoy winter activities with your loved ones. 

Thanks for reading through our Winter E-News and let us know if you are interested in being a MOCHA intern!

-The MOCHA Interns 💜

Thank you to our e-news editor, Annie Siebenaler from CFAAR!

Susan Tatelli 

Graduate student allergic to peanuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, and soy.

I love making 3D snowflakes, it's so easy and a fun activity!

New Year's Resolution: Try a new recipe each week!

Ryan Smith

College student allergic to tree nuts.

My favorite Holiday activity is decorating cookies!

New Year's Resolution: Read more!

Leo Auerbach

College student intolerant to dairy, and my sister has severe food allergies.

My favorite Holiday activity is making latkes!

New Year's Resolution: Eat healthy!

Kethan Bajaj

College student allergic to nothing, but my brother has food allergies!

My favorite Holiday activity is driving around Christmas Light shows.

New Year's Resolution: Start running everyday!

Katelyn Chu

High school student allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, soy, beans, and peas.

My favorite Holiday activity is looking at Christmas lights while drinking allergy-friendly hot chocolate! 

New Year's Resolution: Listen to new music!

Julia Auerbach

College student with Celiac Disease.

My favorite Holiday activity is gift exchanges with my friends!

New Year's Resolution: Cook more!

Our interns love being a part of MOCHA because they feel like it’s a great way to help food allergy families find all the resources they need! With our increased presence on social media, we can connect with more teens and young adults who may feel isolated because of their food allergies or who are looking for information about how to safely travel, attend college, and more! Being an intern is a great way to connect with others and contribute to this community!

Interested in becoming a MOCHA intern? We are looking for high school or college students with food allergies, have family members with allergies and who are passionate about supporting others with food allergies. Please email mochainterns@gmail.com or denise@mochallergies.org for more information.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The holiday fun is here! Try to make DIY Lunch Bag Snowflakes! It's the perfect allergy-friendly craft for you and your family this season! Learn how here!

RESOURCE CORNER

Check out Billy Cannone's First-In Rescue Training!

Do you have any suggestions for our updated MOCHA website? Connect with us!

MOCHA is a group of parents sharing information and supporting each other. Check out our website for the most current news, support and resources. Click the sign-up link to be added to our email list!

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Disclaimer: M.O.C.H.A. is not a professional or medical organization. It is a group of parents sharing information and supporting each other. The discussions, meeting minutes, handouts, speakers, agendas, and other products of our support group do not constitute medical and/or legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Always discuss individual health questions and medical issues with a qualified personal physician.