I know it will never happen, but if I'm being honest, there are times I wish today meant nothing to me, that it was just another day. But it's not.
Four years.
My family and I have been at this work for four years. In four years, with the support and leadership of Lt. Governor Brian Benjamin and N.Y.S. Assemblymember Al Taylor, our family, was able to get Elijah's Law passed and signed into law by Governor Cuomo in September 2019. This past August in Illinois, Representative Jonathan Carroll's commitment and leadership helped galvanize the support needed to pass Elijah's Law in his state. Governor J.B. Pritzker's signature on August 20, 2021, made Illinois the second state in the union to protect kids in daycare and schools using Elijah's Law. Lawmakers in Pennsylvania, California, and Massachusetts are doing the same. This week we will begin a discussion with members of Congress to start a conversation about bringing Elijah's Law national.
Four years.
In that time, our family was able to build a dynamic network of strategic partners with groups like Enjoy Life, PracMedic, Allergy Insider, Spokin, Owyn, Scrubs MAG, and so many others; organizations such as Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America; Kids with Food Allergies; End Allergies Together (E.A.T.), Food Allergy Research & Education (F.A.R.E.), Food Equality Initiative, Asthma, and Allergy Network and so many others. We built an Ambassador program with students around the country, leading the change in food allergy awareness and advocacy with the support of Allergy Force, Belay, Enjoy Life, Daiya, ThermoFisher, Equal Eats, FEI and so many others.
Four years.
We connected government officials and partners like Kaleo, one of the leading manufacturers of epinephrine auto-injectors made for children, which has donated thousands of epinephrine auto-injectors to childcare centers around the state. Belay, a food allergy tech company, worked side-by-side with our family to create a Food Allergy Training and Certification accessible to anyone for free or low-cost. We also partnered with Sammi Mendenhall, End Allergies Together, Allergy Strong, Natalie Giorgi Sunshine Foundation Change for kids, Red Sneakers, and a network of food allergy advocates produced an Emmy-winning food allergy P.S.A., Spell It Out.
Four years.
In March 2021, the New York State Office of Children and Family Services informed us that Elijah's Law went into effect protecting children with food allergies at every childcare center in the state (approx. 20,000). The Office of Children and Family Services (O.C.F.S.) worked with our family to produce the official New York State training material, which nearly 25,000 people have completed. Now, because of NYS OCFS's successful rollout, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is using its process as a template for its rollout.
Four years.
He never made it to four years.
For him, please continue to fight and advocate for children with food allergies and asthma. Please. Not another child, folks. Not another child. Let that be what we've been calling, #ElijahsEcho
We miss you so much Elijah-Alavi Silvera January 16th, 2014 to November 3rd,2017
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