Access is the whole point.

Dylan Erber co-founded The Celiac Shelf to address a problem he understands personally: access to gluten-free food is not optional for people who medically require it. Diagnosed with celiac disease at age four, Dylan grew up understanding the importance of having food that is both safe and accessible, while recognizing that the higher cost and limited availability of gluten-free products can make that difficult for many families.

That experience helped inspire Dylan and his sister, Emily, to create The Celiac Shelf. What began as an effort to collect gluten-free food has grown into a youth-led nonprofit working with schools, food pantries, and community partners to expand access to gluten-free options for families facing food insecurity.

Dylan helps lead the organization's strategy, partnerships, fundraising, and community outreach. Beyond The Celiac Shelf, he is involved in scientific research, service, athletics, and student leadership.

For Dylan, The Celiac Shelf is about turning a personal experience into something larger by making medically necessary food more accessible and ensuring that families who rely on gluten-free diets are included in efforts to address food insecurity.

Outside of The Celiac Shelf, Dylan is an avid college sports fan (football and basketball) with a particular interest in sports analytics, leadership, and the impact athletics can have on building strong communities.

Emily Erber co-founded The Celiac Shelf with her brother, Dylan, after seeing firsthand how much planning, awareness, and access can matter when someone requires a gluten-free diet. She helped turn that understanding into action by building an organization focused on a simple idea: food assistance should meet the needs of the people who depend on it.

As Co-Founder and Co-President, Emily helps lead The Celiac Shelf's community outreach, food drives, school partnerships, awareness initiatives, and volunteer engagement. She has played an active role in expanding the organization beyond individual collections and into sustained partnerships designed to make gluten-free food access part of the broader conversation about food insecurity.

Emily also pursues scientific research and holds leadership roles across service and student organizations.

Through The Celiac Shelf, Emily hopes to help build a community in which dietary restrictions do not determine whether a family can access the food it needs.

Outside of her advocacy work, Emily is a competitive gymnast and student researcher who enjoys taking on new challenges and helping others reach their goals.