Admission is free to this fun and educational event,
which will include activities for children, a special
appearance by PBS Kids’ character Arthur, and
a live,
interactive music performance and puppet show by Kyle
Dine. Kyle Dine’s original songs educate and empower those
living with food allergies. During the performance, children
will have the opportunity to participate in a dance-a-thon
to benefit Kids with Food Allergies, a nationwide nonprofit
organization.
“Food allergies are a growing concern, not only for
parents of children affected, but also for caregivers,
teachers and classmates,” said Lynda Mitchell, President of
Kids With Food Allergies. “We appreciate the opportunity to
work with Whole Foods Market to educate and support the
families and schools affected in our community.”
Food allergy is a potentially serious immune response to
eating specific foods or food additives, most commonly milk,
eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and
wheat. The incidence of food allergy increased 18 percent
between 1997 and 2007, and today, one in 25 children are
affected. At this time, there is no cure for food allergies,
and the only treatment is avoidance.
“At Whole Foods Market, we recognize the challenges faced
by families living with food allergies and we are pleased to
bring safe and healthy options to the table,” said Danielle
Smith, Marketing Specialist and Community Liaison. “We hope
that this event will both increase the understanding and
compassion of the community, and also help families by
providing awareness of new allergy-aware products and
services.”
For more information about the event, call 215-230-5394
or visit Kids With Food Allergies at
http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org .
ABOUT KIDS WITH FOOD ALLERGIES: Founded in Doylestown,
Pa. in 2005 as a nonprofit charity, Kids With Food Allergies
(KFA) is a national nonprofit organization of more than
15,000 families raising children with food allergies. KFA
helps children with food allergies and their families cope
with dietary restrictions, lifestyle adjustments, fear and
isolation through education, peer support, food and cooking
assistance, and family activities. Its interactive Web site
provides a powerhouse of resources including the nation’s
largest online support community for families and an online
collection of more than 1,000 “allergy-friendly” recipes.
The recent, unprecedented rise in food allergies has spurred
the organization’s rapid growth. For more information,
visit http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org .
ABOUT WHOLE FOODS MARKET: Founded in 1980 in Austin,
Texas, Whole Foods Market (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com),
a leader in the natural and organic foods industry and
America’s first national certified organic grocer, was named
“America’s Healthiest Grocery Store” in 2008 by Health
magazine. The Whole Foods Market motto, “Whole Foods, Whole
People, Whole Planet” captures the company’s mission to find
success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee
excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value,
community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to
its 53,000 Team Members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked
as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America by
FORTUNE magazine for 12 consecutive years. In fiscal year
2008, the company had sales of $8 billion and currently has
more than 275 stores in the United States, Canada, and the
United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market, Fresh & Wild, and
Harry’s Farmers Market are trademarks owned by Whole Foods
Market IP, LP. Wild Oats and Capers Community Market are
trademarks owned by Wild Marks, Inc.