Like most children, my son is super excited about Halloween. His favorite part is counting his candy haul at the end of the night. But three years ago, Halloween took on another meaning. His elementary school started trick-or-treating for UNICEF. At first, he wasn’t keen on asking homeowners for loose change for children he didn’t know. But by the second year, we had done our research and found that the Halloween project had been started by Presbyterian minister, Clyde Allison, and his wife, Mary Emma, in 1950, in Bridesburg, Pennsylvania. Their idea was to make Halloween more meaningful for children by collecting a ‘treat’ for themselves, as well as one for children in other countries.
Mary Emma and her children raised $17 on that first Halloween. Since then, almost $160 million has been raised to feed, clothe, and educate poor children around the world. No doubt the program has saved the lives of many desperate and destitute children.
This is the 60th anniversary of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. For my son, Halloween has become more than just collecting candy (although that’s still important!). He feels good that he can help his less-fortunate peers in third-world countries. And he no longer hesitates to tell homeowners that their donation is going towards three mosquito nets to protect kids from malaria.
So, if you’re in the Clarksville area of Austin tonight, we’d appreciate you giving your pennies to the pirate proudly carrying the orange box. But if you’re not in Austin, my son and I encourage you to give your couch change to the UNICEF trick-or-treaters in your area.
Happy Halloween 
