Ridge Street School Takes No Chances with Food Allergies

As part of National Food Allergy Awareness Week, Ridge Street School's nurse Hildie Kalish and a group of parents completed a week of activities for students and parents. The school, with an enrollment of 650, includes some 61 students with some type of food-related allergy, according to a release from Blind Brook Public Schools.

Using the Protect a Life from Food Allergies, or "PAL" program, basic lessons, according to the news release, included importance of not sharing your food with friends who have food allergies, washing hands after eating, and asking friends which foods they are allergic to and helping them avoid the foods. The program, sponsored by the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) organization, featured sharing of non-allergic snacks, allergy-free goody bags, and a visit from the "Be a PAL" mascot.   

The school’s faculty and staff know which students have allergies to what foods, including some children with Celiac Disease, which requires many of the snacks to be gluten free. Also, according to the release, the school is “peanut and tree nut aware."