"Since he was 5 years old, Amari Sims has had to avoid peanuts, tree nuts and sesame, and he carries an EpiPen with him to school. In an effort to make trick-or-treating more inclusive for other children with food allergies, Sims, now 16, is spearheading the Teal Pumpkin Project within the Milpitas Unified School District. A teal pumpkin on a doorstep means that non-food treats are available for trick-or-treaters, Sims wrote in his blog on the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) website."
"Last year, I delivered teal pumpkins filled with non-food treats to 12 elementary and middle schools, two dentists and my pediatrician. I received positive feedback about how much it meant for students with food allergies to feel seen and be included. This feedback led Sims, who is the Associated Student Body president at Rancho Milpitas Middle School, to up his game this Halloween and take the effort nationwide."
"Sims has been advocating for food allergy awareness for the past seven years with the support of his parentsparticularly his dad, Diallo Sims, a science teacher in Milpitas Unified. He traveled to Washington, DC, to speak with federal lawmakers and hopes to influence legislation that would cap the costs of epinephrine medication and increase affordable access. The teen is now trying to get on the next cycle of new bill proposals. His draft proposal is with the office of state Sen. Dave Cortese,"
Amari Sims has avoided peanuts, tree nuts and sesame since age five and carries an EpiPen to school. At 16, he leads the Teal Pumpkin Project in Milpitas Unified School District to signal non-food treats for trick-or-treaters. He delivered teal pumpkins to schools, dental offices and his pediatrician, receiving feedback that inclusion matters to children with food allergies. He now leads a 22-teen advisory team distributing teal pumpkins and partnering with schools, libraries, YMCAs and local groups to make Halloween safer. He has advocated for seven years, met federal lawmakers, and drafted a proposal to cap epinephrine costs through Sen. Dave Cortese's office.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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