Screams and laughter filled the air as kids of all ages paraded around neighborhood streets carrying little orange boxes this Halloween.
Since initiated by Carlmont Key Club in 2015, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has given the candy-crazed October festivities a new purpose.
Running the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF at Carlmont Key Club, Rebecca Jiang, a junior, said, “It’s a really simple way for people to get involved, and the effects are felt globally; I think the project successfully utilizes the tradition of Halloween for community service and adds goodwill into the holiday.”
According to the UNICEF USA website, the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF project was first founded by Clyde and Mary Emma Allison 67 years ago in order to help children affected by World War II.
With the current tragedies, donations will go towards emergency relief for kids affected by the earthquakes and hurricanes in Mexico and Puerto Rico, according to the UNICEF USA website.
Acquiring the boxes from the Kiwanis Key Club family store, Key Clubbers volunteered to walk the decorated sidewalks and ask for any amount of donations to help fund the Eliminate Project, which aims to end maternal and neonatal tetanus.
Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF boxes were first handed out early October and will continue to collect funds through December.
This year, Carlmont Key Club set a goal of $1,000, which would be met if every member raised a minimum of $10, according to Jiang.
“The real benefit is getting the money for those in need, which is all that really matters. It’s great to know I am helping out,” said sophomore Melina Dimick who collected donations from her friends, family, and neighbors.
Though the little box may seem insubstantial, it provides an easy way for kids to get involved by contributing to a lifesaving cause.
Dimick said, “[It’s important to] let them know it is so easy to help others by saving change and putting it in the box. Any extra change that goes into the box goes towards the cause.”
Fundraisers and donators alike felt happy to know that they were helping others.
“I think it is a great project that gives children the chance to collect for others rather than collecting just for themselves,” said Beth Keelen, a parent who donated to Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. “By spreading the word and getting more communities and schools involved, you can shift people’s perspective towards helping others.”
