Gluten Free High Country Support Group
When I began my gluten-free journey, I remember feeling one overwhelming thing: alone.
It felt isolating at first — learning labels, navigating restaurants, explaining cross-contamination, and trying to figure it all out. But the more I talked about it, the more I realized I wasn’t alone at all. Everywhere I went, I met someone who was gluten free for one medical reason or another.
Then my son was diagnosed with celiac disease.
In that moment, I knew I never wanted him to feel the isolation I had felt. I wanted him to grow up knowing there were others like him — that he had a community, support, and people who understood. I knew it was my responsibility to help create a better path for him and for others like him.
And that’s how Gluten Free High Country was born.
Gluten Free High Country began on August 19, 2013, as an online Facebook group. I was incredibly blessed to connect with Leah McGrath, Ingles dietitian, who encouraged me in those early days and helped connect me with other support groups and leaders. That guidance gave our little group a strong foundation.
What started as a simple online connection has grown into something much more meaningful.
Gluten Free High Country is a support group for individuals who follow a gluten-free diet and for the parents, families, and friends who walk alongside them — whether due to celiac disease, gluten intolerance, autism, ADD/ADHD, allergies, or personal choice.
Through collaboration, education, and advocacy, our mission is to improve the quality of life for those living with celiac disease and other gluten-related disorders in North Carolina’s High Country — including Avery, Watauga, Ashe Counties, and surrounding areas.
We are continuing to grow and look forward to hosting regular gatherings for members and special events for our gluten-free children — because community matters, and no one should feel alone on this journey.
Come join us. You belong here. 💛For those in SC: https://www.facebook.com/groups/391228881233497/?ref=share
No comments:
Post a Comment