Parents of Allergic Kids is not a professional or medical organization.  It is a group of individuals sharing information and supporting each other.  The discussions, meeting minutes, handouts, speakers, agendas and other products of this group do not constitute medical and /or legal advice and should not be relied upon as such.  Always discuss individual health / medical concerns with a qualified personal physician.

If you live out of our area, please refer to www.foodallergy.org for a listing of support groups in your area.

Other North Carolina Support Groups

R.O.C.K. Charlotte support for families with Celiac Disease              Website: http://www.glutenfreekidsrock.blogspot.com/
Charlotte Celiac Connection                                                           Website: http://charlotte-celiac-connection.org/
NCFACES:Raleigh-Durham and surrounding areas                           Website: http://www.ncfaces.org/ Email:info@ncfaces.org
MCDOWELL ALLERGY AWARENESS: Nebo, Marion, Old Fort             Email: mcdowellallergyawareness@gmail.com
COCOA, Caring for Children with Food Allergies: Asheville                Email: cocoa_in_asheville@yahoo.com
CCFACTS Coastal Families of Food Allergic Children: Wilmington      Website: http://www.cffacts.org/

In order to keep our group active and fun for our kids (and parents), we need help with the below items.  All have been done for years by us or other support groups we are in close contact with. You will not have to reinvent the wheel. We have flyers, how to's, etc. and can pass along any information needed.  Many thanks!

Spring Festival: It would be a “non food egg hunt” held in March or April '12.
•    A team of 2 to 3 people to secure location, any materials needed, advertise (create email the PAK Coordinators can send out to the group and make flyers that can be distributed to the local allergy practices)  Several nights before event, parents are to drop off 1 or 2 dozen empty eggs with a bag of non-food goodies and the coordinators will fill them to be sure there are no food items in there. This Festival can be simply an “egg hunt” style event or more (games, arts & crafts, extra prizes) depending on how much help is secured.  Some ideas that have worked in the past is to have pipe cleaners and beads for jewelry making, coloring sheets and crayons out for the little ones.

Charlotte Knights Food Free Zone Baseball Coordinator: This event we do every late summer for the past 6 years.
•    1-2 People to help coordinate with the group manager of the Knights. Organize the date, distribute flyers to local allergy offices, advertise via different media (Charlotte Mommies, Charlotte Parent, Observer, etc)
•    On the day of, get there 15 minutes prior to game to wipe down seats and make sure suites are nut residue and all food free. Also monitor that nobody is eating food in our area during the game.

Food Free Fall Festival: This event is usually held the weekend before Halloween. It has been done in different ways:
1-Trunk or Treat style, where the parents decorate their trunks and the children trick or treat for non-food goodies from each car. Need to secure a safe parking lot, games and activities.
2-Inside St. Matthew gymnasium. We secured a large number of volunteers to help with games, such as basketball, Halloween themed activities, musical chairs, a food allergy book reading and tons of arts and crafts.
The coordinator needs to secure a location, purchase arts/crafts (reimbursed by PAK) and acquire volunteers. We have 2 huge boxes of fall themed games that we will pass along to the new coordinator.

Recipe Exchange: This event is for members to get a chance not only to swap recipes, but to taste the recipes and socialize with other parents.
•    A team of 2 people. A coordinator to create an email invite to keep up with how many people are coming. The email invite will also let everybody know how many recipe cards and how much food to make. Some families can make appetizers, main dishes, sides and desserts. (Perhaps assign by last name A-F makes appetizers, G-P makes a main dish, etc.) Will need the team to arrive early  to set up tables, light decorations. Can be held at our St. Matthew Banquet Room as it has a kitchen attached.

FAAN Walk for Food Allergy: This event will be at Freedom Park in Dilworth on Saturday, September 29 at Noon. All the below jobs are under the guidance of the Walk Chair, Randi Eccleston. She can be reached at charlottechair@foodallergy.org
Prior to Walk:
Volunteers to pass out flyers, posters, save the dates:
•    When posters etc are sent from FAAN, go to stores, Dr’s offices etc and pass out the promotional materials.
Entertainment committee:
•    Secure bouncy house, D.J.  and any extra stations, i.e. gymnastics, temporary tattoos, face painting
•    Games: help children play the variety of games that we will have for them to play.
•    Arts/crafts: help children to make the variety of arts/crafts ordered from Oriental Trading (reimbursed by FAAN).
Publicity:
•    Send out press releases to all area newspapers, radio stations and TV stations. Send out public service announcements to radio/TV stations when FAAN sends them.
Wraparound event organizer:
•    2-3 people to organize fundraising events in relation to the walk.  
•    Arrange events at kid friendly play places, restaurants etc.
•    A list of organizations that have helped us in the past can be provided.
Silent auction volunteer:
•    Solicit businesses for "higher end" items. Gift cards, stays at hotels etc. Put all silent auction items arranged in a basket. Put basket on raffle table. Make up auction sheet and assist people in signing up.
Raffle organizer for walk:
•    We usually have about 10 raffle bags with allergy friendly items in them. Solicit different companies/stores for items to put in bags. Assemble bags and bring them to the walk. Purchase 10 raffle bags & a roll of raffle tickets from a store like party city. The money that you spend on bags/tickets will be reimbursed.
On the Day of the Walk:
Registration at Walk:
•    Help walkers to register when they arrive at the walk.
Vendor table volunteer (Some vendors send their materials but not a representative to the walk)
•    Pass out their materials to the walkers. Food samples can only be passed out to adults.

Set up:
•    Help set up tables, chairs, arts/crafts and games, put up signs around Walk route
•    Need several volunteers
Clean up:
•    Help take down tables and chairs on the day of the walk. Put away arts/crafts and games. Collect trash. Take down any walk signs.
•    Need several for clean-up
Raffle table volunteer:
•    Sit at raffle table on walk day. Collect raffle tickets. Tickets are $1 each.
Can wrapper/patch program volunteer:
•    Print out the can wrapper (will be provided). Wrap around large cans. Go to stores and see if they will let you put the can in the store to collect donations. Go back at agreed time to get can. Send donations to FAAN. Patch program-print out patches. Go to stores and see if they will sell the patches for $1 each and hang the patches in the store. Go back at a set date to collect money.


*** All of these events have been done for years by us or other support groups we are in close contact with. You will not have to reinvent the wheel. We have flyers, how to's, contact numbers for advertisers on file so we can pass along any information needed! ***

PLEASE EMAIL info@pakcharlotte.org if you can help in any of these areas. Many thanks!