Frequently Asked Questions

GatherSafe is an app for people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance that helps you coordinate safely with hosts before any social gathering. You generate a personalized Allergy Card once, share it with your host via a link, and the app sends you a notification when they open it. Hosts also receive an event-specific prep kit with shopping lists, safe recipes, and cross-contamination guidance — no app download required on their end.

Research shows that 66% of people with celiac disease skip social gatherings entirely, and 55% avoid visiting family for meals — not because gluten-free food is unavailable, but because hosts lack clear guidance on how to prepare safely. Social phobia affects 70% of celiac patients compared to 16% of the general population, largely driven by fear of accidental exposure. GatherSafe addresses this by giving hosts exactly what they need before the event, so you can attend with confidence.

GatherSafe generates a personalized Allergy Card that explains your restriction type, cross-contamination risks, and safe foods in plain language any host can understand. You share it via a single link — no awkward conversations, no long text messages, no guesswork. When your host opens the link, you receive a push notification so you know the information was received.

A Host Prep Toolkit is an AI-generated, event-specific guide you forward to your host before any gathering. It includes a safe shopping list, gluten-free recipes suitable for the occasion, and step-by-step cross-contamination prevention tips tailored to the event type — Thanksgiving, BBQ, birthday party, potluck, and more. You create the kit in the app and share it via link with one tap.

No. Your host receives a link and views your Allergy Card and Host Prep Toolkit in their browser — no download, no account, no friction. This is by design: the easier you make it for your host, the more likely they are to actually read and follow the guidance.

GatherSafe is free to download and includes your personalized Allergy Card plus one Host Prep Kit trial at no cost. A paid plan at $4.99 per month or $29.99 per year unlocks unlimited Host Prep Kits and full event history. The paywall is triggered when you create your second Host Prep Kit.

Apps like Find Me Gluten Free and Spokin are built around restaurant discovery — they help you find places to eat out, not coordinate with hosts at private events. GatherSafe is the only app focused on pre-event host coordination: shareable allergy cards, event-specific prep kits, and real-time kit-open notifications. It solves the social cost of celiac disease, not the restaurant problem.

Yes. GatherSafe supports any event where food is involved — Thanksgiving dinners, birthday parties, backyard BBQs, potlucks, holiday parties, and casual family meals. The AI-generated Host Prep Toolkit adapts its shopping list, recipes, and guidance to the specific event type you select.

When you share a Host Prep Toolkit link, GatherSafe sends you a push notification the moment your host opens it. For many users with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, this is the single most anxiety-relieving moment in preparing for a social gathering — it confirms your host received and is reading the guidance, before the event happens.

Yes. GatherSafe is designed for anyone who needs to avoid gluten, including people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), wheat allergies, and dermatitis herpetiformis. When you set up your Allergy Card, you specify your restriction type and severity so your host receives accurate, relevant guidance.

Your health information is used only to generate your Allergy Card and Host Prep Kits and is never sold to third parties or shared with advertisers. The shareable links you send to hosts contain only the information you choose to include in your card or kit — you control what is visible.

Host Prep Kits are generated based on established celiac disease guidelines for cross-contamination prevention, safe ingredient lists, and event-specific cooking scenarios. The guidance covers dedicated cookware, safe ingredient sourcing, and preparation sequence to minimize cross-contact. You can review the kit before sending it to your host and make any adjustments.

Yes. Your Allergy Card is created once and can be shared as many times as you like with different hosts across different events. The Event History feature also surfaces prompts like 'You're visiting Jamie again — resend an updated kit?' so you never have to start from scratch.

The Emergency Card is a condensed version of your allergy information that is accessible from your lock screen without unlocking your phone. It is designed for unexpected food situations — a coworker's birthday cake appearing unannounced, a spontaneous dinner invitation, or any moment where you need to quickly communicate your restriction to someone who is about to feed you.

GatherSafe is currently available on iOS through the App Store. An Android version is not yet available, but you can join the waitlist through the app website to be notified when it launches.