FAAN

Rue,,
I hear what your saying. It does seem kinda outrageous. But, when you think of all the good they have done and continue to do for Food Allergy sufferers it's also a difficult question to answer.
I would wonder how they came up with that particular sum for each of them. I wasn't aware that her husband is involved as well.
Remember the flap about the Execs at United Way? If I remember correctly, not only were they collecting huge salaries, but flying in private jets and staying in luxury hotels!etc. All at the expense of donors. Many people haven't felt the same about them since, but people do forget with time.
This is a controversial subject. Some believe it is too much ($250,000 a yr) some think its not enough. But I agree it makes you feel funny that their salary comes from OUR donations.
Have a great New Year
TLSMOM

I am not sure if the salary is out of line considering where they live (DC) etc. But there are 3 reasons why I chose not to renew my membership.
1. You have to pay for EVERYTHING, every bit of information it feels like you have to pay for. Ontop of the membership fee.
2. The stance on peanut bans in the schools. It feels like their way or no way, that they are our voice. If we elected them to be our voice would they listen to how many parents want bans?
3. The information here is more valuable to me

I have a membership, and to be honest, I haven't gotten much for spending $30.00. Don't get me wrong, I greatly appreciate all that they do, but I pay less than that for membership to Mothers of Asthmatics and I get a lot helpful things from them. I haven't decided if I will be renewing my membership with FAAN.
Liz

I have never joined FAAN due to the cost of $30 membership and having to pay for everything else. My daughters have a growth disorder and we are members of the MAGIC Foundation - yearly dues $25 and we are provided with a great deal of info, networking opportunties, etc. Also, MAGIC has an annual convention every year for the families and our cost is $75 plus lodging and a few meals. I looked into attending the FAAN convention and was horrified by the cost.
I have found more helpful info from this website and the Food Allergy support group we have in our town, therefore I won't be paying FAAN $30 this year.

Well, I`m pretty surprised and disappointed about the $125,000 per year each, but FAAN may have saved my daughter`s life. By this I mean, they developed the Epipen trainer and their video "It Only Takes One Bite" was a big help to me for training everyone from babysitters to preschool teachers to elementary school teachers to parents of my daughter`s friends if she is going on a playdate. In fact, I won`t let anyone watch her if they have not seen the video. I know mothers who take about two minutes to show the playdate mother the Epipen and then place their child`s life in the other mother`s hands for a couple of hours for a playdate. The other mother has no idea what to watch for, how to prevent a reaction, or even WHEN to use the Epipen. They helped me countless times when I needed to know about food allergy and the law. Chris at FAAN referred me to the right place when I was subjected to disability harassment at my daughter`s school. I know so many people who tolerate harassment due to food allergies and don`t know it is against the law. When my daughter`s preschool gave me flack about her Epipen, and the director told me at least once a week that I should be grateful to her for accepting my daughter with her Epipen, FAAN referred me to the Justice Department and told me about the La Petite case. There was a $55,000 settlement when a preschool refused to learn how to use an Epipen for a child. I photocopied the settlement (it`s public record), gave it to the preschool director, and said if you want to kick her out go right ahead and here is what will happen. All of the sudden, she acted like my best friend, and she never brought up the Epipen again. Terry Furlong, Ann`s husband, spent atleast forty minutes on the phone with me when we wanted to fly, and went over each airline`s policy on peanut-free flights. And lastly, and probably the most important, he sent me two articles. One discussed the incidence of airborne reactions on airplanes when the PA passenger doesn`t eat the peanuts, but the other passengers do. I used that information to get my daughter`s classroom to go peanut free. Without the article, they wouldn`t have understood that by other children eating peanuts they were placing my daughter at risk. The other article, discussed 32 deaths from anaphylaxis and why they happened. That information could save a person`s life.

Careful Mom--do you happen to have the articles on flying with pa--I'm considering Jake (14 mo.) on an international flight with US Air in February...

Just my opinion,
I am not a member of FAAN, I am Canadian and am careful who I choose to send money to, and for what cause. I think the good coming from any organization to benefit others is worth the money they receive. What degrees do they have, they could have been something else in life making that kind of money anyway. So, if were going to justify the making of big money, maybe the Sultan of Brunei can tell me why he needs a home that has 1,788 rooms? What does he do to benefit society?

Babyjakesmom, the article on flying with PA had to do with people having airborne reactions from peanuts without actually eating the peanuts. As far as who serve peanuts and who will give a peanut free flight, Terry told me that US Air was about to stop serving them. This conversation was at least six months ago, so by now they have probably stopped. That would solve the problem. However, if that is not the case, we had very good experiences with Northwest and Southwest. Southwest when you make the reservation, you just tell them, and they will get all the peanuts off the airplane before you board. Southwest does let you know that it is still possible another passenger may bring peanuts on board. Northwest has a special phone number for peanut allergic passengers. It asks for name, flight number, etc, and they send you a letter about making the flight peanut free. Northwest will even make an announcement once everyone is on board asking that if passengers brought peanuts please do not open them as there is a peanut allergic passenger on board. Since I got my computer, what I have found helpful was each airline has a website. I click on "contact us" and email their customer service department asking about their peanut policy. They usually email back withing a couple of days. That way everything is in writing and you get someone who knows the answers. At the reservation number, there are hundreds of people who take the calls and what they say is sometimes reliable and sometimes not. Also, last time I checked United does not serve peanuts. I had a very bad time with Continental. They will make no accomodation and I will never fly them again as long as my daughter is PA. Delta will give you a peanut free "zone", but they won`t tell you until you board the plane how big the zone is, it is up to the crew at the time. It may mean that only your row, the row in front, and the row behind are peanut free. Also, I am told early morning flights are less likely to serve peanuts, even if the airline usually does serve peanuts.
Lastly, I haven`t been abroad since my daughter has become PA. Labelling requirements in foreign countries are really different from here, and peanuts can show up in the least expected products (mole sauce in enchiladas, egg rolls), so please be careful. Some countries allow small amounts of peanuts in the product without listing it in the ingredient statement.

I am a former member of FAAN. Although I acknowledge that they have done some good work, I chose not to renew my membership this year after listening to Anne Munoz-Furlong speak at the FDA hearing in DC on allergy labeling last August.
She passed herself off as representing FAAN members' views, yet most of her remarks seemed pro-industry and not at all sensitive to allergic consumers' needs (not surprising given FAAN's corporate sponsorship). I was especially upset with her stance on precautionary labeling. She poked fun at companies that voluntarily use "may contain" labels, saying that all they are doing is decreasing allergic consumers' food choices. For example, she poked fun at a label on a box of raisins that said "may contain peanuts." Well the reality is that those raisins were probably manufactured with trail mix, and may indeed contain peanut traces. And I for one would like to have that information, and do not want the president of FAAN to discourage companies from providing it.
In my opinion, FAAN's corporate sponsors greatly influence their advocacy efforts and I choose to no longer support them.