ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – Halloween is less than two weeks away. For kids with food allergies, trick-or-treating can be one of the scariest parts of the holiday.
Samantha Gaudino, a mother of two, has been the Delta County community coordinator for the Teal Pumpkin Project for several years.
“My son is allergic to peanuts,” she said. “Every year when Halloween would come around, it was always this really stressful holiday that’s supposed to be a lot of fun. We just were looking for a way to make him feel included, because typically trick-or-treating wasn’t an option for him.”
The Teal Pumpkin Project is a nationwide initiative that encourages neighborhoods to offer non-food items for trick-or-treaters with allergies, diabetes, and other dietary restrictions.
“You can get anything from pencils, temporary tattoos, spider rings, vampire fangs, stickers, coloring pages,” said Gaudino. “There’s really unlimited options.”
Participants place a teal pumpkin in front of their homes and add their address to the official online map. Gaudino said the Delta County portion of the map has been growing steadily over the last few years.
“When I first found the Teal Pumpkin Project, I think there were two or three homes that were consistently putting their address on the map,” she said. “Now, I’m seeing upwards of the 30s.”
That has made a big difference for local families creating Halloween memories.
“One in thirteen children in our community have food allergies, so there’s a really good chance that there’s a kid on every single block who would benefit from you participating,” Gaudino explained. “It’s something that has a wide-scale impact, but even if you only impact one child, I think that’s a success.”
She says it has had a lasting impact on her own little trick-or-treaters.
“Just being able to feel included and join in on the fun has been a tremendous change for us,” said Gaudino. “When Halloween comes around, we’re not so nervous anymore because we know that there’s going to be activities that he can enjoy. We have to keep that momentum going and keep remembering why we do it and why it’s so important.”
For more information on the Teal Pumpkin Project or to add your address to the map, click here.
