Halloween is approaching and a new color of Halloween pumpkin will be 'teal' in participation of the Teal Pumpkin Project. This project longs to raise up full awareness for kiddos with allergies in different kinds of foods by using a teal-colored pumpkin.
This season always give a nerve-wracking experience to the parents of children having food allergies most of all when the children goes to trick-or-treat and receive candies as a treat without knowing the ingredients of that candy. The movement has been embraced by both parents and children.
Zakeia Smith's daughter, Kiran, favorite time is October but having peanut and egg allergy challenges the kid on trick-or-treating. Kiran was taught to say 'no' to those foods.
Smith said, "I say no this goes in the trash, no this one we have to give away, no this one mommy and daddy can eat. It can take a while to sort through everything."
Allergies are very dangerous. According to Ashley Daub, a Nutritionist at St. Joseph's Hospital any reaction may occur within minutes and it could be be deadly. "They can breathe it in, be in the same room and have an anaphylactic reaction," said Daub.
With a ratio of one in 13 children has several type of food allergy, Teal Pumpkin Project been established. This project encourages all neighbors to give non-food items like glow sticks, pencils or stickers to children with food allergies during trick-or-treat.
So whether orange or teal, Smith still hopes that the campaign will allow children to get more treats than a trick.
According to google, trick or treat is a children's custom of calling at house during Halloween with the threat of pranks if they are not given a small gift.
"What I can tell you is that our first two Facebook posts about the campaign have reached 5.2 million people and were shared 52,000 times. So we're thrilled because we know this means there'll be a lot of people embracing the Teal Pumpkin Project on the day of Halloween itself," Veronica LaFemina, vice president of communications said.
