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FamilyCares Halloween

For many kids, Halloween is one of the most fun holidays of the year. What could be better than getting dressed up in a crazy costume and going from door to door to get tons of free candy? Your family can have fun on Halloween and at the same time help children and families in need by:

  • Donating your candy
  • Collecting change for UNICEF
  • Collecting used eyeglasses for children and families in developing countries through Sight Night®.

Join with other neighborhood families to celebrate this Halloween and treat others through FamilyCares Halloween. Read below how your family can be Halloween helping hands.

Re-wrap and donate Halloween Candy
  Excess Halloween candy can be donated to Meals on Wheels, nursing or veterans' homes, and shelters or agencies that work with children such as foster care, group, or transition homes. Treats like these are especially appreciated on Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving or at other holiday parties. Most of the wrapped candy can be frozen or refrigerated.

Materials Needed
Colored cellophane or small clear plastic sandwich bags
Ribbon
Paper and markers

Steps Involved

  1. After Halloween ask other families to drop off excess candy at your house.
  2. Separate the “obvious” Halloween wrapped candy from the other pieces. Place in a separate bag and ask the agency if they want that along with your wrapped candy.
  3. Discard any opened or unwrapped candy.
  4. Wrap in cellophane and tie a ribbon around several pieces or put several pieces in a baggie and tie with a ribbon.
  5. Make a small tag fitting the occasion and attach to the ribbon.
  6. Deliver to an agency.
Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF
A project that started in Pennsylvania during the 1950s has expanded throughout the world, raising millions of dollars for children and families in need. By gathering change in addition to (or in place of) their Halloween candy, kids can make a real impact in disadvantaged children's lives.

Steps Involved
  1. Use an official UNICEF box to carry your donation. You can make your own container by printing out the wrapper located on the UNICEF website; also, during the month of October, Pier 1 Imports and IKEA will distribute free boxes at their store locations.
  2. Learn more about how and where UNICEF will use the money raised. Make sure that your children know that, even if they only raise a few dollars, that money will help change lives.
  3. Send in the money raised, either through check, credit card, or Coinstar machine. To earmark your change for UNICEF, enter code 5555 at the machine. All donations are tax-deductible.

To find out more about Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, including donation specifics, visit the official website.

Sight Night Participate in Sight Night®
Sight Night ® is an annual eyeglasses collection project organized around Halloween or trick-or-treat in your community, sponsored by Give the Gift of Sight Foundation and Lions Club International. Complete pairs of children's and adult's prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses are needed, as well as nonprescription sunglasses. All collected eyeglasses are cleaned, repaired, and hand-delivered to developing countries.

Steps Involved
  1. For Sight Night Resources, click here.
  2. Explain to your children why collecting eyeglasses is important, and how participating in the project will help others.
  3. Collect the eyeglasses during trick-or-treating outings.
  4. Turn in collected eyeglasses at your nearest Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center or at one of the following stores: LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical, BJ's Optical, Target Optical or Sunglass Hut. Find the location nearest you. Contact Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other organizations to donate eyeglass cases. Click here for more information.

Sight Night® is part of Give the Gift of Sight, a series of charitable vision care programs sponsored by Give the Gift of Sight Foundation and Luxottica Retail in conjunction with Lions Clubs International and other local charities.

Safety Tips for Families
As you and your family work to do good deeds for others on Halloween, it's important that you also make sure to take care of yourselves. Inclement weather, dark streets, and traffic are all hazards that can be prepared for with a few easy steps.

Steps Involved

  1. Plan your kids' trick-or-treating route before you leave the house. Choose well-lit streets in familiar neighborhoods, and make sure that the distance isn't too far for younger kids to walk.
  2. Make sure that everyone eats a good meal before leaving to trick-or-treat. Not only will it give your children energy to keep moving from house to house, but also full bellies will keep them from eating all of their candy the first night.
  3. If you live in colder areas, choose costumes that are baggy enough to hide sweatshirts or winter jackets underneath. Kids won't be as resistant to bundle up if they know their costume can still be seen.
  4. If your chosen Halloween outfits have masks or head coverings, make sure that your children still have their peripheral vision while in costume. Especially at night, it's important for everyone to be able to see cars, bicycles and other people on the road.
  5. Make sure that you're wearing a watch that can be seen in the dark. That way, no matter where you are, you'll know if it's time to go home.