Spooky season brings a fun time for sweets and scares but can also be a great opportunity for service. The Daily Texan compiled a list of Halloween nonprofits to either support directly or spread the word about this October.
The project is an initiative by Food Allergy Research & Education that facilitates an inclusive trick-or-treating experience for children with food allergies. Trick-or-treating locations marked with a teal pumpkin signify that non-food items and goodies await trick-or-treaters. The Teal Pumpkin Project Map on FARE’s website allows users to locate teal pumpkin locations near them as well as log their own house as a place with safe treats. Though many may have barriers to sporting a teal pumpkin on their own doorstep this Halloween, students can spread the word to friends and family who can.
Around a 25-minute drive from campus in Manor, Texas, SCARE for a CURE puts on a one hour theatrical and interactive haunted house experience to raise money for local charities like the Breast Cancer Resource Center. Primarily volunteer driven, the creative minds of the greater Austin come together to create scripts, props and special effects with some volunteers working as actors. UT organizations like Texas Wranglers, Texas Spirits and UT Women in Medicine boast a history of helping to create these experiences. Support the organization by volunteering or visiting an interactive experience.
Visit Central Texas Food Bank on Oct. 31 from 6-8 p.m. for a costume contest and night of sorting food donations. According to the website, Central Texas Food Bank works to fill the unmet food needs of the Central Texas community year round. Another highly volunteer and donation driven organization students can contribute to this Halloween and beyond. This makes for a great event to attend with friends and a fun way to get involved in the Austin community.
As Halloweekend nears its end, students may consider donating their Halloween costumes to ‘Ween Dream, a nonprofit that, according to their website, distributes free Halloween costumes to children across America who recently experienced natural disasters, are in the foster care system, live with medical conditions or similar situations. The organization takes donations of costumes size 2T to adult large year round and asks that they be washed, labeled and sent to the donation center in Jefferson, LA.
Houston-based Y’alloween strives to supply children in need with new Halloween costumes to alleviate guardians of the financial stress. In the past Y’alloween partnered with other service organizations like The Salvation Army and Houston Area Women’s Center to raise awareness and fundraise. The Y’alloween site features a page to donate funds directly to the organization, as well as a linked Amazon wish list full of children’s costumes.
