Why We Began, and Where We’re Going

In April 2024, the Canadian FAIT Foundation was born out of both urgency and hope.

For families living with food allergies, the daily reality is one of constant vigilance—reading labels, navigating schools and social events, and living with the ever-present risk of a severe reaction. At the same time, a powerful shift has been underway in medicine: food allergy immunotherapy is changing what it means to live with food allergies. Treatments that once felt out of reach are now possible—but not yet accessible to everyone who needs them.

The Canadian FAIT Foundation exists to change that.

How It Started

The Foundation was created to support and accelerate the FAIT Program (Food Allergy Immunotherapy), a Vancouver-based research and clinical initiative that is reimagining how food allergy care is delivered. While groundbreaking work was already happening, a critical gap remained: sustainable funding, education, and infrastructure to ensure these treatments could reach families—not just in British Columbia, but across Canada.

What began as a shared commitment among clinicians, researchers, families, and advocates quickly became a national mission: to remove barriers to food allergy treatment and ensure that safe, evidence-based immunotherapy is accessible to all who need it.

Our Mission

The Canadian FAIT Foundation is dedicated to funding groundbreaking research initiatives, supporting clinical innovation, and advancing education in food allergy immunotherapy. Our ultimate goal is simple but bold: to transform food allergy care in Canada and improve quality of life for children, adults, and families living with food allergies.

What We’ve Built—Together

Since our launch, the momentum has been extraordinary. In a short time, we’ve helped bring several key initiatives to life:

• Festivus for FAIT – Our annual flagship fundraising and awareness event brings the FAIT community together each November. Festivus celebrates progress, shares patient and provider stories, and raises critical funds to support FAIT research and programs. Each year focuses on a pressing need within food allergy care—from education and awareness to supporting families through major care transitions.

• The FAIT Symposium – Designed to expand access to treatment by educating healthcare providers, the FAIT Symposium brings allergists and clinicians together for hands-on, practical learning. Featuring leading experts from across Canada, the Symposium is helping grow a national community of providers equipped to deliver food allergy immunotherapy.

• Research and Training Support – Through grants, student involvement, and international collaboration, we are investing in the next generation of food allergy researchers and clinicians—ensuring that innovation continues and knowledge spreads beyond a single centre.

• Community-Driven Fundraising – From peer-to-peer campaigns to family-led initiatives, we’ve created ways for FAIT families and supporters to take an active role in funding the future of food allergy treatment.

Looking Ahead

We are still early in our journey—but the impact is already being felt. Seeds planted in British Columbia are taking root across Canada, and interest from beyond our borders reminds us that this work matters globally.

Everything we do is powered by community: the families who trust the science, the clinicians who push boundaries, the donors who believe in what’s possible, and the volunteers who give their time and energy.

This blog is where we’ll share that journey—celebrating milestones, highlighting research, amplifying voices, and keeping you connected to the growing FAIT movement.

Thank you for being here. Together, we’re building a future where food allergy treatment is not the exception—but the standard of care.