Issue link: http://latinschool.uberflip.com/i/134761
It all started with an epiphany in the shower over winter break in first grade. Having had a severe nut allergy for as long as she could remember, 7-year-old Callie Milner '23 was accustomed to being cautious when eating anything outside her home. "I'm fine with it because I can eat a lot of different things, but I felt sorry for my friends with different food allergies who can't," Callie said. "So I wanted to do something to find a cure for kids with food allergies." Callie's idea was to raise money for research by making and selling chocolates that are free of many food allergens. This way, she could supply treats that almost everyone could eat, especially her friends with dietary restrictions, while supporting a cause about which she is passionate. "When you live with someone who has an allergy and you know how bad a reaction can be, it is easy to understand how careful they have to be. But other people don't really know. We want to give students with allergies a voice because sometimes it is hard to speak up for yourself." 32 LAT I N MA G A Z I N E With the help of her mother, Dara, Callie developed Callie's Nut-Free Treats. Together they prepare chocolates – including the ever-popular chocolate and BBQ potato chip bark – and sell items at bake sales. They also have started a website through which they run an ongoing bake sale that allows them to fulfill custom orders for parties, recitals and other events. To date, the Milners have raised nearly $5,000 for Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) and the Kids with Food Allergies Foundation. All of Callie's Nut-Free Treats are handmade in the Milner kitchen, which they keep nutfree. Callie and her mother make sure that the ingredients they use have not been crossprocessed with peanuts and tree nuts, and they take precautions against cross-contamination with eggs, gluten and other products. During busy times it gets frantic in the Milner household. The kitchen is a hub of activity, the dining room becomes a packaging station, and the living room is a storage area. Initially, Callie's older brother, Jake '17, was doubtful about the success of Callie's venture. "I remember thinking, 'This is crazy. How are you going to do something like this with everything else we have going on?' But Callie and my mom just went ahead and did it, he said."