Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Day

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Day turns Halloween’s door-to-door tradition into a fundraiser for children. Instead of collecting only candy, participants ask for donations to support UNICEF’s work for children around the world, often carrying the campaign’s familiar little orange box and saying, “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF!” The funds provide flexible support for programs such as education, safe water, vaccinations, health care, nutrition, and emergency relief, according to UNICEF USA’s FAQ.

The campaign began in Philadelphia on Halloween in 1950. Presbyterian minister Clyde Allison and his schoolteacher wife, Mary Emma Allison, encouraged children to collect coins in decorated milk cartons for UNICEF and children affected by World War II. That first effort raised $17. The collection cartons later gave way to the iconic orange boxes, while digital fundraisers and other ways to participate have expanded the campaign beyond traditional door-to-door collections. Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Day is observed annually on October 31.

How to Observe Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Day

Celebrate by adding a charitable purpose to Halloween. Collect donations while trick-or-treating, use a UNICEF collection box when available, or start an online fundraiser through UNICEF USA. You can also make a donation, learn about UNICEF’s work for children, and explain to friends and neighbors that their contributions support children around the world.

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