Making Gluten-Free Life Easier for Families: One Step at a Time

GIG’s Cynthia Kelly walks us through what her Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) is all about

GUEST BLOG: By Cynthia Kelly, CEO of the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG)

If you’re a parent of a child with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, you already know—going gluten-free isn’t just about swapping out bread or pasta. It changes how your family eats, shops, travels, plans playdates, and celebrates birthdays. It changes how your child sees the world—and how the world sees them.

At the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), we understand that. We’ve been supporting gluten-free families for 51 years. Everything we do comes back to our mission:

To make life easier for everyone living gluten-free.

We know families like yours carry a lot. That’s why we’ve built a community, a set of tools, and a movement that helps lighten that load.

What We Do—and Why It Matters to Families

When your child has to live gluten-free, your whole family learns to adapt. At GIG, we focus on four core areas that help families feel safer, more confident, and less alone.

1. Making Safe Food Easier to Find

From school snacks to family dinners, food is always on your mind. Our Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) puts clear, trustworthy labels on products you can feel good about. That little GFCO logo? It means the food has passed strict gluten-free testing and an 80-step risk mitigation process prior to that.

When you dine out, our GFFS (Gluten-Free Food Service) program works with restaurants, camps, and schools to create safe gluten-free kitchens. It’s not just about what’s on the menu—it’s about peace of mind.

2. Helping Families Learn and Live Confidently

Being gluten-free often means teaching others—teachers, grandparents, babysitters—how to support your child. We create free resources, guides, and tip sheets designed for real-life situations. Whether you need a school 504 plan template, help reading labels, or advice for teen transitions, we’re here with clear answers. No medical jargon. Just practical help from people who’ve been there.

3. Creating Community for Gluten-Free Kids and Teens

Gluten-free kids can sometimes feel like the “only one.” That’s where our Generation GF program comes in. We connect kids and teens through gluten-free events, camps, and online communities.

At our Teen Summit, young people meet others who “get it.” They laugh, learn, and build lifelong friendships. We also support family-friendly gluten-free camps where your child can join in without fear—and you can breathe a little easier.

4. Speaking Up for Families Like Yours

Behind the scenes, we’re working to raise awareness in schools, healthcare, food service, and beyond. We advocate for better training, more clear labeling, and greater inclusion for people living gluten-free. Because your child deserves to be safe—not just at your dinner table, but everywhere they go.

We’re a Nonprofit—Because Our Mission Comes First

GIG isn’t a company trying to sell you something. We’re a nonprofit built around your needs. Every dollar we receive—whether through our certification programs or individual support—goes back into education, outreach, and family programs. That means your support helps more kids feel seen, more parents feel supported, and more communities get it right.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

If you’ve ever cried in the grocery aisle, or sent your child to a birthday party with their own cupcake and a lump in your throat—know that you are not alone. Thousands of families are on this journey too. And GIG is walking beside you.

We’re here to help you raise your gluten-free child with confidence. To help your family live fully, not fearfully. To make sure you have trusted information and a supportive community. Because when gluten-free living feels easier, everything else gets better too.

Join the Mission

At GIG, we believe that a safer, stronger gluten-free world is possible—and we believe it starts with families like yours. You’re not just managing a diet. You’re creating a life. And we’re here to help.

Visit gluten.org to connect, learn, and be part of something bigger. Together, we’re making life easier for everyone living gluten-free—especially the ones who matter most: our kids.

About Cynthia Kelly

Cynthia Kelly tells us her personal story and how it inspired her to join GIG

I love an adventure, and I love a challenge! As a dietitian, diagnosed with celiac disease nearly 30 years ago, I took a leap of faith and started the adventure of a lifetime! I left clinical practice in large hospitals, where I practiced for 15 years, to do the unthinkable…I went to work for nothing, as the executive director of GIG. It has been a wonderful adventure, with many challenges.

I moved GIG from an organization that was local in scope and national in heart to an international leader in the gluten-free community. GIG’s commitment is to you the consumer. Like you, I live the gluten-free lifestyle. My goal is to make my life easier (yes, I figured out how to make catsup in a microwave 30 years ago), and to help everyone living gluten-free to do so in a positive, healthy way.

I am a thinker, a do-er, a planner, a dreamer. I want to deliver the best programs possible to everyone living gluten-free. Give me a challenge, adventure, and I will take up the call with the highest of personal ethics and integrity.