"I wanted to do something
to find a cure for kids with
food allergies."
Now Jake enthusiastically participates. He
is a taste tester, helps come up with recipes
(including the one for BBQ chip bark), and
works with Callie and their mom to package
orders. Moreover, he is an advocate for foodallergy-awareness in the middle school.
As a member of student government, Jake
has helped to ensure that his fellow students
are respectful of the health risks their peers
with allergies face and has helped bring
more allergy-friendly foods to the middle
school snack cart.
"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," said Jake. "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. "
Jake feels that it is impossible to ban the
many foods to which an increasing number
of his peers are allergic, but he believes it
is a community-wide issue. "The best thing
we can do is help as many people as possible
to understand." n
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