Lauren Maunus

Palm City, FL | 17

2015 Award Recipient

After Lauren’s two-year-old sister nearly died from an unexpected allergic reaction to eating a cashew, Lauren learned that six million American children lack access to allergen information at school. Lauren has since become a tireless advocate for giving students the tools to manage allergies and other diet-related illnesses, and to make healthy eating choices in the cafeteria. She has collaborated with state and local government officials, members of Congress, the USDA, CDC, FDA and medical and nonprofit organizations to reform school nutrition policy nationwide to provide more information on cafeteria food. And to help students sift through that information, Lauren spearheaded the development of an innovative software platform that provides nutrition information, allowing students to filter cafeteria offerings for allergens via school district websites and a mobile application. After two years of her relentless lobbying, Lauren plans to testify before a subcommittee that will consider amending the Child Nutrition Act to include allergen labeling with several members of Congress already in support. She has discussed her advocacy work with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign and plans to form partnerships with national organizations like the Clinton Foundation’s Alliance for a Healthier Generation to encourage nutritional labeling as a means of improving health and safety for students throughout the United States.