'A Safe Space': Oklahoma Mom Takes Part In Teal Pumpkin Project To Include Trick-Or-Treaters With Food Allergies

It’s that time of year again when Halloween decorations can be seen throughout the neighborhood.

But one decoration means something more.

“We have a teal pumpkin so that families with kids with food allergies know that they can come to our house and it's a safe space for them to trick or treat and get some fun toys for their kids,” said Hayley Wheeler.

This is Wheeler’s second year participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project.

“Basically, the idea is just to make Halloween a little bit more inclusive for kids that have food allergies," she said.

Wheeler has two children, both of whom don’t have any food allergies. But she says Halloween can be a hard time for kids who do.

“I think it's hard for kids who have food allergies, especially at school there’s all kinds of different parties going on and treats are definitely involved in a holiday like Halloween,” she said.

By adding a teal pumpkin to her decor, Wheeler is making her house easy to find for those on the hunt for non-food treats.

“I’ve got stickers, Play-Doh, some stamps, glow sticks and pencils so, all kinds of fun stuff,” Wheeler said.

When registering, she was shocked to learn she is part of a very small handful of Tulsans getting involved.

“When I got online to register our house for this Halloween, I noticed there were only three houses in the Tulsa metro that have teal pumpkins, so I’m just excited to raise awareness about it and hopefully get more people involved in making Halloween more inclusive,” she said.

And Wheeler believes that just because a kid may have a food allergy, doesn’t mean they have to miss out on all the fun Halloween has to offer.