Local mom hopes "Teal Pumpkin Project" grows in Milwaukee

Trick-or-treating is a fun tradition for kids of all ages, but there's one group who may find more fright than fun. Children living with food allergies often forgo the ritual or give up most of their loot because they are allergic. That's where a nationwide campaign comes into play.

Fare, or Food Allergy Research and Education, is a national organization dedicated to spreading awareness about food allergies. The group started the "Teal Pumpkin Project" in 2015. The idea is simple- toys instead of candy and food, which is made apparent through a teal pumpkin on the doorstep. The campaign is growing nationwide. The organization hopes 100,000 households will take part this year. But is it catching on in Milwaukee?

One local mom says she's heard more people talking about it this year, but she hasn't seen the results, yet. 

“A lot of people don’t know about it yet," said Amy Schwabe, a Milwaukee mom with a daughter dealing with food allergies.

Amy's daughter, Alex, was diagnosed with allergies to peanuts, tree nuts and eggs when she was three years old. Amy wants to help other families in similar situations in Wisconsin, so she started a blog called "Milwaukee Allergy Mom."

“I looked in Milwaukee and there wasn’t really anything, so I decided to start my own," said Amy.

She blogs about everything from safe restaurants to recipe ideas. Now, she's blogging about the Teal Pumpkin Project and safe activities for families who have food allergies. She and her daughter, Alex, hope to see more "teal" this Halloween as more people learn about the national campaign.

“I think it’s a good idea," said 11-year-old Alex. "It’s nice so people can have stuff if they’re too worried or just allergic to too [much] stuff."

Click here to learn more about the Teal Pumpkin Project.

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