WHAT:

The third Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) Kids’ Congress on Capitol Hill, a gathering of children aged 6-18 with food allergies who will share their experiences with their elected representatives and encourage them to support food allergy legislation as well as fund food allergy education and research.

The children will meet with legislators, attend a Food Allergy Awareness Rally to recognize food allergy leaders, including the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and get to know other children who share their condition. Legislators invited to be recognized at the rally include Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), and Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY).

WHEN:

WHERE:

WHY:

The children selected to serve as “Junior Ambassadors” for their states all have food allergies and are members of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, a nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, Va., that is the world leader in information about food allergy, a potentially fatal condition that afflicts approximately 12 million Americans. By talking to lawmakers about how food allergies affect them, these Junior Ambassadors can advocate for improved food allergy legislation, specifically, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act (H.R. 1378/S. 456), and encourage continued funding for food allergy research.