'Teal Pumpkin Project' offers safe treats for kids with food allergies
MILL VALLEY, Calif. (KTVU) - Halloween has a new hue this year as the "Teal Pumpkin Project" aims at making the holiday less scary for children with food allergies.
The project provides safe treats for those children, and participants are putting pumpkin painted teal on their doorstep to let trick or treaters know non-food treats are available..
"It allows families with food allergies to enjoy Halloween and not be terrified," Sharon Shakked told KTVU, as her two sons painted a pumpkin a distinct shade of blue in their Mill Valley kitchen.
"They'll know that this house has toys and is nut free," chimed in 8-year-old Aviv.
For the Shakkeds, stickers and glow sticks will be on hand Saturday night, along with candy bars.
"It can be a scary evening, not in the ghoul and goblin sense, but scary because your kid might die, and this takes it from that to being a safe fun event," explained Shakked.
Aviv and big brother Ari, who is ten, have both had hospital bouts when their nut allergies threatened their ability to breathe.
They have even trick or treated wearing gloves to avoid touching any kind of nut products.
"There's a lot to manage when you're a food allergy parent, and a lot of worries," acknowledged their mom.
The Teal Pumpkin Project started with one mom and one pumpkin in Tennessee. It spread after a national organization picked it up and started promoting it.
"Teal has been the color of food allergy awareness for about two decades now," Veronica La Femina of the Virginia-based Food Allergy Research & Education told KTVU by phone.
On the FARE website, supporters can take an online pledge, download signs for their yard, and register their address on a crowd-sourced map.
An estimated one in 13 kids -- about two in every classroom -- have food allergies.
"It makes a big difference in the lives of these children when they see their neighbors and community showing they care," observed La Femina.
Most families taking part will offer a choice.
"We'll have a candy bowl and a prize bowl," Therese Dawson of San Rafael told KTVU, showing her trick or treat loot. One bowl held candy, the other trinkets such as pencils, stickers, and puzzles.
Dawson has raised six boys, none with food allergies, but she has friends and relatives who are sufferers.
"Last year we had some kids who couldn't take the candy and they walked away with sad looks on their faces," she recalled. "And that hurt me, because all kids want to participate."
For the Shakked boys in Mill Valley, a cure came when they entered a clinical trial at Stanford Medical Center.
"Now we can go anywhere and not worry," smiled Aviv.
The treatment they received desensitized them of their nut allergies. But they'll never forget the worry and caution they endured, and want to raise awareness for others.
"You're not used to seeing a teal pumpkin on Halloween," remarked Sharon Shakked. "So people ask questions and wonder what it's about. And I love that it starts the conversation."
In addition to nuts, many candy ingredients such as wheat, whey, milk, and soy are also common allergens for kids.
Judging by the "Teal Pumpkin" map, porches in every single state, and a dozen other countries, will be sporting the alternative color.
For more information on the Teal Pumpkin Project, click here.