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Grandparents, “Grandfriends,” and Food Allergies: Supporting the Kids You Love
Date: September 17, 2026
Time: 12:00p.m.-1:00p.m. EST followed by a 15-minute Food Allergy 101 covering label reading and emergency readiness
Grandparents, honorary grandparents (grandfriends), and other close family friends play an important role in a child’s life. When a child has food allergies, understanding how to keep them safe can build confidence for the entire family—and allow everyone to focus on what matters most: enjoying time together.
Grandparents, honorary grandparents (grandfriends), and other close family friends play an important role in a child’s life. When a child has food allergies, understanding how to keep them safe can build confidence for the entire family—and allow everyone to focus on what matters most: enjoying time together.
Join us for an open and practical conversation with grandparents who are navigating food allergies alongside their own families. They’ll share what they’ve learned, how they support their children and grandchildren, and how their role as a grandparent has evolved as they’ve learned to manage food allergies together. You’ll hear practical tips, lessons learned, and strategies for keeping grandchildren safe while still embracing all the meaningful, everyday moments that make being a grandparent so special.
After the panel discussion, we’ll offer a 15-minute Food Allergy 101 covering label reading and emergency readiness.
If you have a grandchild or are a grandfriend to a child with food allergies, register for the webinar today! If you know a grandparent or grandfriend, please share this webinar with them so they can learn how to support the children in their lives with confidence during meals, visits, and family celebrations.
Note: The first 50 people to log onto the webinar on September 17 will get a grandparents’ food allergy care package with resources to increase their food allergy knowledge.
Speakers
Denise Bunning
Denise A. Bunning is an educator, support group leader, and advocate who works to improve the lives of children with food allergies. Denise co-founded and currently manages, MOCHA (Mothers of Children Having Allergies) – a support group for food-allergic families. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), the Founders’ Board of Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, and The Women's Board of Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital.
Previously, Denise also served on a committee organized by the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health to author Guidelines for Managing Life-Threatening Food Allergies in Illinois Schools, which served as the basis for school board policies state-wide. Additionally, she co-authored The Food Allergy Experience with Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH, the Founding Director of the Center for Food Allergy & Asthma Research at Northwestern University.
Denise earned a BA in Early Childhood/Special Education from Boston College, an MSED in Special Education from Northern Illinois University, and a CAS in School Administration from National Louis University. Denise and her husband of 35 years, Dave, have two adult sons with life-threatening food allergies and eosinophilic esophagitis, a digestive disorder related to food allergies. Denise is also a doting Nana to one granddaughter.
Jim Pontarelli, MBA, MSW, LCSW
Jim is a retired communications executive and devoted grandfather to two boys with peanut, egg, and tree nut allergies. He is also a licensed clinical social worker. With a recent focus on public health communications, Jim has participated in dozens of interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of target populations, including those with diabetes, heart disease, substance use disorder, HIV, and behavioral health challenges. He was strategic counsel to the Yale School of Public Health.
Jim began his career working in the United States Senate and went on to lead government affairs programs for Fortune 100 corporations. Post retirement, his most recent advocacy efforts have focused on updating state laws regarding emergency access to epinephrine, including requiring epinephrine delivery devices in police vehicles.
In addition to his grandfather duties and advocacy work for FARE, Jim is a freelance writer and documentary photographer capturing daily life in lower Manhattan. Jim graduated from Providence College, attended law school at Catholic University, has an MBA from University of Rhode Island, and MSW from Rhode Island College.