share the love
gluten free
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
To Our Community:
Food allergies are everywhere. Every day they are diagnosed earlier in children, initiating a lifetime of food monitoring. As awareness rises with this new generation, many adults are also discovering that they suffer from a sensitivity to certain foods. For countless families around the world, the need to identify safe and healthy food for themselves and their loved ones is a daily challenge. However, this rising trend in food allergies is more than a logistical headache for some people. In these troubling economic times, many families and individuals face severe financial strains, and are forced to rely on food banks for their meals. Unfortunately, most food banks are not supplied with an abundance of allergy-sensitive donations. This leaves many people – parents especially – with a heartbreaking decision: Either choose food that jeopardizes the health of your family, or don’t eat at all.
Gluten is one of the most prevalent and most difficult to manage of the common allergens. Some manifestations of this gluten intolerance (such as Celiac disease) can severely damage the victim’s digestive system resulting in malnutrition, while milder forms of gluten intolerance can cause severe pain and discomfort. Unfortunately, gluten is a common ingredient, especially in packaged foods. Most convenience foods with a long shelf-life – breads, mixes, microwavable meals, snacks, condiments – contain gluten. The most inexpensive type of meal relies on fillers like pasta and bread. The widespread nature of gluten intolerance poses a special concern for those who depend on food banks. Every day, thousands of men, women, and children with few resources turn to food banks for assistance. And every day a portion of them must return home still hungry because donations are rarely sensitive towards gluten allergies.
When this grave issue came to the Theta Lambda Chapter’s attention, our members were determined to make a difference. We are now excited and delighted to announce the launch of “Share the Love– Gluten-Free,” an awareness program and food drive designed to increase the array of allergy-safe foods provided by New Jersey food banks. Across four counties, our members are setting up donation points for the collection of gluten-free foods during the celebration of Valentine’s Day. This is a deeply local, community effort. Every donation will be contributed by New Jersey residents, and each Theta Lambda member will donate his or her collections to a food bank in their home county. We are so proud of “Share the Love–Gluten-Free,” and are deeply grateful for your interest in our fundraiser. Your contributions can really make an enormous difference to someone’s health, and we thank you for your generosity from the bottom of our hearts.
Our website will provide further information about our drop points and collection and details about how you can make a difference.