New York City Trick or Treats for UNICEF: A 2014 Recap

This fall, thousands of New Yorkers gathered together in local communities to Trick or Treat for UNICEF, where kids help kids. This fall, hundreds of thousands of children across the United States went door to door, hosted indoor parties, and fundraised online to help the world’s children.

New York City had some incredible Trick or Treat for UNICEF engagements. Local communities from Long Island City to Park Slope to Morningside Heights made a difference by collecting coins to donate towards UNICEF and even our Trick or Treat for UNICEF celebrity Ambassador, Zendaya, got in on the fun by helping rally P.S. 163, the Alfred E. Smith School to Trick or Treat for UNICEF.

In Park Slope, Park Slopers came out and participated in Fall Festivals where Trick or Treat boxes where distributed and students got to hear from Grover, what UNICEF does to help kids. Our very special friends, Diane and Monroe Allison, members of the founding family of Trick or Treat for UNICEF, were present in the communities distributing boxes and educating others about Trick or Treat’s great legacy in helping the world’s children. In its 64^th year, Trick or Treat for UNICEF has raised over $173 million dollars, and in doing so, saving millions of children’s lives in the process. The Allisons have carried on this legacy right here in Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights and Park Slope neighborhoods by working with local schools in the neighborhood such as P.S. 9, Brooklyn Friends and P.S. 107 to Trick or Treat for UNICEF and learn more about Global issues affecting children around the world. Trick or Treaters finished off their campaign this year with a great end where hundreds of families participated in Trick or Treat for UNICEF at the Park Slope Halloween Day Parade. Stations were set up across the parade route to help collect boxes and participate in the Trick or Treat activities while collecting candy and enjoying the night’s festivities!

On the Upper West Side, students were in for a major surprise when Disney Channel Superstar Zendaya helped spark off the Trick or Treat for UNICEF campaign in New York City at P.S. 163, the Alfred E. Smith School. Students decorated their Trick or Treat boxes, participated in interactive activities with Zendaya and then talked about different ways they want to help kids in other regions in the world. Zendaya’s electrifying presence really got P.S. 163 off to a great start to get their families involved in Trick or Treat for UNICEF as many kids left their boxes all throughout their local communities. 

In Bay Ridge Brooklyn, children sold rainbow loom bracelets to benefit the world’s children. Some fifth graders got together to make these bracelets and then talk about different ways these exemplary students can help other kids in the world get a School in A Box Tool Kit or a water pump for an entire village. 

Outside of New York City, Greenwich, CT hosted its first annual Trunk or Treat event, where students Trick or Treated, learned about UNICEF’s School in a Box Toolkit and participated in a Water Walk to experience how much water a child has to carry to get clean water. To many of the children, it was an eye opening experience. 

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There were other great events too. There were students in Morningside Heights who wanted to know how they can take action and participated in dialogue to further increase their global citizenship. At NYU, a group of students got together to hold a UNICEF fundraiser through a coffeehouse where many students performed.There were parents who recalled their fond days of Trick or Treating when they were children. There were memories that were relived and to many parents and their children, they now shared a new bond that is one of many fond memories: To go together, hand in hand, collecting candy in their communities, but also collecting coins so that children in other parts of the world could receive a little extra. Its fall in New York City and this was one memory for many kids in the New York City region that they won’t forget as kids help kids get the help they need to not only survive, but thrive.

It’s a memory that is surely etched in my mind.     

Pictures for Greenwich Trunk or Treat event photographed by Fairfield County Look, you can find more of their work here: http://fairfieldcountylook.com/parties/unicef-trunk-or-treat/.