Building FPIES Awareness through Fundraising and Events

Over the last year we have been inspired by the impact of your unique talents and hard work as you continue building awareness to FPIES.   As we approach our 2^nd annual Global Day, we wish to share some of these events with everyone, in hopes to inspire you, that you too can make a difference.  “Our shoes may be small but our steps will be BIG!”

FPIES families have always been creative, including in how they raise awareness and fund-raise! We have had several moms using  Jamberry fundraisers, and even a couple of these moms designed the nail wraps themselves to feature FPIES awareness art. Awareness from fingers to toes! Other moms have designed T-shirts and other awareness gear to raise funds to further FPIES education and awareness. Their creativity has helped fund programs to educate medical professionals about FPIES. We want to give special shout-outs to Jessie Ipson Richens, Kate Hutchens, Crystal Lentz, Brandi of Glam Tots, Rosie's Creations, and Half Pint Threads!

Restaurants have joined in the cause, sponsoring family nights and awareness days where they donate a certain percentage of sales to The FPIES Foundation. We were touched to see photos from Jersey Mike's Subs-- a visual reminder of how communities are really joining in the cause and reaching out to support  FPIES awareness. The families initiating these fundraisers and the restaurants partnering in the cause have helped to fund programs providing resources and support to families worldwide. Special recognition for Luca's family for all of their support!

In every fundraiser and in every awareness event, families put their own unique stamp on the day.  Just as each child is unique, each family-organized event has its own special style. The Fangman Family, for instance, raises awareness at Drag Races and Mud Runs!  Samantha Fangman shares, “Our daughter, Josie, has FPIES. My husband had decals made for his race-car with the FPIES logo. We have brochures printed that we hand out at all our races. We were amazed how many people came up and asked us what FPIES and The FPIES Foundation was at our first race. We’ve handed out many more brochures than we anticipated and are thrilled about it!!! We are doing what we can to get the word out!!“

If you are thinking about starting your own awareness event or fundraiser for the FPIES Foundation, we hope that you have found inspiration in the stories of the families highlighted above--- we certainly are inspired by all of them, and all of you, everyday as we continue working to fulfill the FPIES Foundation's mission of education, support and advocacy for all those affected by FPIES, worldwide. 

This post was written by the Executive Board of The FPIES Foundation 

Allergy Cookie and the Teal Pumpkin Project: UPDATE

July 2015 Update: A message from Tiffany Rogers of Allergy Cookie: “I regret to inform you that you that due to a number of factors, including recent changes in the terms and dependability of our suppliers, we have decided not to sell Teal Pumpkins for our Walk Team or on our website this year. The good news is that FARE’s Teal Pumpkin Project campaign is still alive and well and the food allergy community expects to continue to see a growth in support of it this year!  We are excited that Allergy Cookie will be helping to promote the Teal Pumpkin Project campaign and bring more awareness to food allergies, as well as encourage more people to use non-food treats to include ALL children.  Even though we won’t be selling pumpkins, my family still plans to reach out in our local community and encourage our friends, family, and neighbors to get involved.”

Tiffany Rogers founded a company called Allergy Cookie and they are offering specially designed Teal Pumpkins filled with non-food treats to handout on Halloween. They even have a special pumpkin available for FPIES - Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome. 

Tiffany is the mother of a 3 year old child with severe multiple food allergies. She and her husband also suffer food in tolerances. Her son's birthday just so happens to be Halloween and when he turned 3 she didn't want to think about explaining to him why on his birthday he wouldn't be able to have any of the treats from trick-or-treating. That's when she heard about FARE's 'Teal Pumpkin Project.' 

Families participate in the 'Teal Pumpkin Project' by handing out non-food treats on Halloween and identifying their house as allergy-friendly by painting a pumpkin teal. 

'It was such a blessing,' Rogers says, 'to have my son receive treats while trick-or-treating on Halloween night he could keep.' 

Rogers points out food allergies are not one size fits all and that's where Allergy Cookie's Teal Pumpkin products come in. In June, they have been offering the pumpkins as part of a special fundraiser competition with proceeds benefiting FARE and a variety of different food allergy organizations, including the FPIES Foundation. 

The hope is to raise research money and awareness. Rogers asks those without allergies to participate in the 'Teal Pumpkin Project' and think about what it could mean for a child, like her son, on Halloween. 

For more information on Allergy Cookie or their Teal Pumpkin Fundraiser, and how you can order your Teal Pumpkin for Halloween, please visit their page http://www.allergycookie.com/tealpumpkinfundraiser/

This post was written by the Executive Board of The FPIES Foundation 

FPIES Events and Fundraising Opportunities

Global FPIES Day is fast approaching, set for October 14th, 2014. We are so excited for this huge awareness raising opportunity and we are also so excited that so many FPIES Families are getting involved!

There are quite a few events and fundraising opportunities right now and we thought it would be helpful to highlight them here:

FPIES Fashion!

Thanks to FPIES mom, Jessie Ipson Richens! She raised funds and awareness through her very successful TFund Global FPIES Day t-shirt & Jamberry Nail Wrap sales!  This sale was limited to enable shipments to be received before Global FPIES Day.  If you ordered one of these products, expect shipment soon! 

  

Cafe Press FPIES Foundation Awareness Shop: Did you miss the first Global FPIES Day shirt sale? No need to worry-- the Foundation has you covered! Our Cafe Press Foundation Shop has something new in the window! Awareness gear to wear and accessories for daily living, all honoring Global FPIES Day with unique designs. From magnets to drinkware to clothing for all sizes, there are countless ways to show your support for the day! 20% of sales are donated to The FPIES Foundation!

Rosie’s Creations supports Global FPIES Day! Items made by Rosie are available for sale and a portion of all sales over $10 will be donated to The FPIES Foundation from Sept.5, 2014 until October 14th, 2014.

Thirty-one Fundraiser for FPIES 2014.  FPIES mom, Elizabeth Wagner, is hosting a Thirty-one party from October 1, 2014 – October 14, 2014 to help raise awareness about FPIES. 80% of the profits will be donated to the FPIES Foundation and there will be a raffle at the end for those who have joined the group.  More information can be found in the facebook group created for this event.

Wear your FPIES Brave when you purchase a piece of Bravelet jewelry from our Foundation’s page. With every Bravelets purchase from our page, $10 will be donated to The FPIES Foundation, to advance our cause for education, advocacy,  outreach and research.

Flowers for FPIES!

Fall is here but Spring is in the air! Keep warm weather wishes close by getting your flower bulbs from Flower Power now! For every purchase made on this site, Flower Power Fundraising will give 50% back to The FPIES Foundation. Sale ends October 15th.

Holiday Shopping for a Cause!

The FPIES Foundation will once more be selling coupon books for Bon Ton's Community Days sales event (only November 14 and 15, online or in store!). Coupon book savings total $500+ per book and at only $5 each, this bargain is incredible! If you are local to southwestern MA, you can pick up your book in person by contacting contact@thefpiesfoundation.org or you can order a booklet online and have it shipped to you for free****:

**** Add the booklet to your shopping cart and when you check out, enter the Charity State as “MA,” City as “Westfield,” and Charity as “The FPIES Foundation.” Coupon books can be used nationwide at the following stores: Bon Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson's, Herberger's, and Younker's.

For direct donations to the FPIES Foundation in honor of Global FPIES Day:

http://fpiesfoundation.org/donate/

Ongoing, COST FREE Fundraisers that support our initiatives:

There are also plenty of FREE ways to raise awareness and support the FPIES Foundation.

Change your profile picture to the Global FPIES Day awareness ribbon!

Use ‘Goodsearch’ as your search engine and automatically raise money for the FPIES Foundation:

Use GoodShop to find savings and shop at all of your favorite stores-- online or in town!

Register and do your online shopping with iGIVE! Fall is here and we're looking forward to the holidays. What better time to help The FPIES Foundation just by sharing. Tell your friends, even friends who support some other cause or charity. Each person who joins iGive in October for the first time by joining under this link: http://www.iGive.com/html/tellafriend.cfm can mean $5 automatically donated to The FPIES Foundation... no purchase necessary! All they need to do is try the iGive Button through 1/15/15.

Every day more people learn about FPIES, but every day more children are diagnosed with it. Together we can make a change. Small amounts add up fast.

Some examples of where the money goes:

‘75’ dollars will send 100 doctors FPIES information packets

‘50’ dollars will get 25 newly diagnosed FPIES families vital information to help them navigate this challenging diagnosis.

'25' dollars will distribute rack cards to at least 50 allergy fair attendees.

Additional funds are allocated in varying amounts to larger scale education, outreach, and scientific meeting/research initiatives.

Together we can all ‘Be the Voice’ for our children and others living with FPIES.

This post was written by the Executive Board of The FPIES Foundation