Press Release

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Celebrates the Power of Kids Helping Kids®

  Funds raised through Halloween campaign will support UNICEF's emergency relief work for children affected by recent disasters

NEW YORK (October 2, 2017) – This October, UNICEF USA is calling on children, families and schools to join in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, a month-long celebration of the power of Kids Helping Kids®. Popular Goosebumps™ character Slappy will be featured in new public service announcements to encourage kids to #BeScaryGood this Halloween and collect donations to help UNICEF put children first.

“With the devastation caused by the recent earthquakes and hurricanes, we’re asking kids to add purpose to Halloween and help their peers who have been impacted by disasters,” said Caryl M. Stern, President and CEO of UNICEF USA. “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is one of longest-running youth initiatives in the country – a testament to the incredible generosity of the American people. We hope that kids across the nation will join us this fall to help build a better future for the world's most vulnerable children.”

This year, kids can Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF with special edition Goosebumps-themed collection boxes featuring Slappy and his monstrous friends. The donations they collect add up to lifesaving change: $1 can buy pencils for a class of 30 students; $8 can buy a UNICEF kit to give one family safe water to drink; $15 can buy a box of five mosquito nets to protect kids from deadly malaria; and $55 can buy one box of therapeutic food treatment to save a child from severe acute malnutrition.

Throughout the month of October, children, parents and teachers can find inspiration to have scary good fun at Trickortreatforunicef.org. Slappy will host a “daily treats” calendar that families can visit to unlock stories, quizzes, how-to videos, giveaways and more. Teachers can also use Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF global education resources to introduce students to UNICEF’s work on a variety of issues affecting the health and well-being of children. Collection boxes are available to order online through October 15.

Since 1950, generations of Americans have participated in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, raising nearly $177 million to provide children around the world with lifesaving nutrition, water, vaccines, emergency relief, and more.

UNICEF USA is grateful for the support of HSNi Cares, Key Club International, Scholastic, Sony and Screenvision Media.

National Partners
This year, HSNi Cares, as a national partner, will continue to raise funds and awareness to support UNICEF through its retail channels. From Oct. 1-15, HSNi will encourage customers to join HSNi Cares by making a donation to help UNICEF ensure children survive and remain safe and healthy. 

Key Club International, a student-led service leadership program of Kiwanis International, will participate in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF by raising funds for The Eliminate Project, which seeks to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus. For more information, visit TheEliminateProject.org or KeyClub.org.  

Content Partner
Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, will team up with Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its best-selling children’s book series Goosebumps, by author R.L. Stine. Popular character Slappy and his monstrous friends will be featured on special edition collection boxes as well as other materials throughout the campaign.

Promotional Supporters
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will participate in the campaign by supporting a Trick-or-Treat sweepstakes for UNICEF. Through Oct. 31, children and families can enter at trickortreatforunicef.org for a chance to win a private tour of the Sony Studios back lot in Los Angeles and a private screening of Goosebumps the movie.

Screenvision Media will support the campaign by playing the Goosebumps-themed Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF public service announcements within its Front + Center preshow and distributing the special edition collection boxes in theater locations across the nation.

About UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, by providing health care and immunizations, safe water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. UNICEF USA supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

For more information, contact:
Sophie Aziakou, UNICEF USA, 917.720.1397, saziakou@unicefusa.org