Missouri mom spreading word about Teal Pumpkin Project

Food Allergy Canada, an advocacy group for families living with allergies, is encouraging homeowners to display a teal pumpkin and offer non-food items to trick-or-treaters like stickers, glow sticks or pencils.

A Missouri mother whose 9-year-old son was diagnosed previous year with diabetes is helping spread the word of a national effort to make Halloween less scary for children with food allergies.

That includes Zawadski, who said she liked the teal pumpkins and what they represent. The blue gourd will designate her house as safe for trick or treaters with food allergies.

Teal is not only the color for food allergy awareness but it’s now started rubbing off onto Halloween pumpkins.

She added that Halloween is something that everybody should enjoy, thus it was vital for her as a parent to come up with something and to offer something that can be enjoyed by everybody. Alternatives to candy can also be little toys which you can find at your local dollar store.

“It is so important that a child with an allergy be able to trick-or-treat to a home that supports the TPP so that they can receive a non-food treat”, said Kim Luxoro, director of Zion Lutheran Preschool, Willowbrook. “I give out small water bottles on Halloween and it is always well-received by the children and their parents”.

Halley Sullivan from Findlay’s Teal Pumpkin Project has two kids with lactose allergies. This year, FARE aims to get 100,000 households participating in the event, which promotes awareness and inclusion of the 15 million Americans who have food allergies.