A brick house's stoop, adorned with pumpkins on either side of the stairs.

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF

Thanks to everyone who participated in 2023. See you in 2024! In the meantime, explore below to learn how millions of people have come to add some meaning to their Halloweening.

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History of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF

The little orange box that changed the world.

Orange box with the text Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, and Kids helping kids.
A Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box with many children's faces printed on the side.
A Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF orange sign with a child silhouette in the UN emblem, attached to a milk carton
A Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box with four simple cartoons of children printed on the side.

The little orange box that changed the world.

Eight decades of TRICK-OR-TREAT FOR UNICEF. And counting.

1948

Black and white photo of Mary Emma Allison sitting among three children

1948

Presbyterian minister Clyde Allison and schoolteacher Mary Emma Allison looked at trick-or-treating children in their hometown of Philadelphia and asked, “How can we make this into something good?” They begin asking children to collect old-but-repairable shoes, in addition to candy.

1950

Orange box with the text Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, and Kids helping kids.

1950

The Allisons switch to encouraging children to collect coins. The first year, trick-or-treaters sent $17 to UNICEF to provide powdered milk to children around the world. The original Kids Helping Kids® campaign is officially born!

1951

At the end of Halloween night, children of previous generations deposit donations into a witch's cauldron for UNICEF.

1951

Coins, bills and checks, big and small, pour into UNICEF from trick-or-treaters all around the country.

1959

A freezeframe of the title of the TV Show, Lassie, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF’s first TV appearance! Lassie barks in approval.

1959

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF’s first TV appearance! When the children decide that they will Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, Lassie barks her approval.

1960s

“UNICEF has caught the imagination of our people—especially our nation’s children whose Halloween collections have become a symbol of concern and an expression of tangible aid. I urge all my fellow citizens, young and old, to support UNICEF generously again this year.”
- President John F. Kennedy, October 13, 1961

1960s

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF gets its first support from Presidents and First Ladies of the United States.

1967

“Now, Therefore, I, Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States of America, in honor of this great humanitarian enterprise, do hereby proclaim October 31, 1967, and October 31 in each subsequent year, as National UNICEF Day.”
- President Lyndon B. Johnson

1967

President Lyndon Johnson signs a proclamation declaring Halloween to be National UNICEF Day in the United States.

1969

Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York, stars of TV’s Bewitched on set with children, preparing to go trick-or-treating for UNICEF. Dick York is dressed in a witch’s costume.

1969

TV’s Bewitched devotes a full episode to Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF.

1970s

The cast of the Brady Bunch, on set of their TV show, posing with Trick-or-Treat collection boxes and a UNICEF sign.

1970s

Stars like Sammy Davis, Jr. and the Brady Bunch encourage more than 3 million children a year to say, “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF!”

1975

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Danny Kaye in the cockpit of his “UNICEF One” airplane, which he used to visit children in 65 North American cities in five days.

1975

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Danny Kaye promotes the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign by flying his own plane on whirlwind tours across North America to enlist children as volunteers. He touches down in 65 US and Canadian cities in five days, putting him in the Guinness Book of Records as the "World's Fastest-Flying Entertainer."

1970s-80s

The cover of a 1976 Caspar the Ghost comic book, showing Caspar Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF.The stars of the TV show CHiPs and children dressed in highway patrol outfits, pose with Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF collection boxes.Kermit the frog and his nephew, Robin, pose in a 1981 UNICEF ad announcing themselves as the years 'Chairfrogs.'

'70s-'80s

Characters like Kermit the Frog, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Spiderman and the stars of CHiPs get in on the act.

1990s

“Each child belongs to all of us, and they will bring us a tomorrow in direct relation to the responsibility we have shown to them.”
- Maya Angelou

1990s

Famous poet and writer, Maya Angelou, serves as the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Ambassador.

2000

A portrait of Brandy holding the 50th Anniversary Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box.

2000

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF celebrates its 50th anniversary with Brandy.

2002

Two women in headscarves give medicine to an infant. One holds the baby while the other administers oral medication. © UNICEF/UNI21671/Pirozzi

2002

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF funds are dedicated to eradicating polio. Since its founding UNICEF and global health partners have helped reduce cases of polio by 99%.

2005

A woman carriers her grandson at a shelter for people displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

2005

The Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane Katrina spur U.S. kids to raise a record-breaking $18.25 million through Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF.

2012

Heidi Klum, longtime Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF supporter, poses in front of a large Trick-or-Treat mural.

2012

Although Hurricane Sandy sweeps the northeast United States days before Halloween, Trick-or-Treaters and celebrities alike still come together to support kids around the world.

2015

A Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF promotional poster featuring the Peanuts comic characters in Halloween outfits.

2015

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF celebrates 65 years by teaming up with Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of The Peanuts Movie Gang to encourage children to raise funds for UNICEF's lifesaving programs.

2017

Jennifer Lopez holds up a Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box while appearing in a PSA helping UNICEF raise funds for hurricane relief for Puerto Rico and other islands in the Caribbean.

2017

Icon Jennifer Lopez provides her support, helping UNICEF raise funds for hurricane relief for Puerto Rico and other islands in the Caribbean.

2020s

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF logo, with a TV snow effect in the background.

2020s

In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF goes all-digital for the first time. Total funds raised since 1950 top $195 million.

Orange box with the text Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, and Kids helping kids.
A Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box with many children's faces printed on the side.
A Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF orange sign with a child silhouette in the UN emblem, attached to a milk carton
A Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box with four simple cartoons of children printed on the side.
Black and white photo of Mary Emma Allison sitting among three children
Orange box with the text Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, and Kids helping kids.
At the end of Halloween night, children of previous generations deposit donations into a witch's cauldron for UNICEF.
A freezeframe of the title of the TV Show, Lassie, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF’s first TV appearance! Lassie barks in approval.
“UNICEF has caught the imagination of our people—especially our nation’s children whose Halloween collections have become a symbol of concern and an expression of tangible aid. I urge all my fellow citizens, young and old, to support UNICEF generously again this year.”
- President John F. Kennedy, October 13, 1961
“Now, Therefore, I, Lyndon B. Johnson, President of the United States of America, in honor of this great humanitarian enterprise, do hereby proclaim October 31, 1967, and October 31 in each subsequent year, as National UNICEF Day.”
- President Lyndon B. Johnson
Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York, stars of TV’s Bewitched on set with children, preparing to go trick-or-treating for UNICEF. Dick York is dressed in a witch’s costume.
The cast of the Brady Bunch, on set of their TV show, posing with Trick-or-Treat collection boxes and a UNICEF sign.
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Danny Kaye in the cockpit of his “UNICEF One” airplane, which he used to visit children in 65 North American cities in five days.
The cover of a 1976 Caspar the Ghost comic book, showing Caspar Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF.The stars of the TV show CHiPs and children dressed in highway patrol outfits, pose with Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF collection boxes.Kermit the frog and his nephew, Robin, pose in a 1981 UNICEF ad announcing themselves as the years 'Chairfrogs.'
“Each child belongs to all of us, and they will bring us a tomorrow in direct relation to the responsibility we have shown to them.”
- Maya Angelou
A portrait of Brandy holding the 50th Anniversary Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box.
Two women in headscarves give medicine to an infant. One holds the baby while the other administers oral medication. © UNICEF/UNI21671/Pirozzi
A woman carriers her grandson at a shelter for people displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
Heidi Klum, longtime Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF supporter, poses in front of a large Trick-or-Treat mural.
A Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF promotional poster featuring the Peanuts comic characters in Halloween outfits.
Jennifer Lopez holds up a Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box while appearing in a PSA helping UNICEF raise funds for hurricane relief for Puerto Rico and other islands in the Caribbean.
Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF logo, with a TV snow effect in the background.
A group of children standing outside in a tropical location smile and laugh together while looking at the camera.

4 Generations. $195+ Million and Counting.

If you've ever participated, you've helped UNICEF...

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Our Longtime Partners

Circle K International logo

Circle K International is one of the largest student-led collegiate service organization, with thousands of members on hundreds of campuses on five continents across the globe. Through their support of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, Circle K members have funded programs including the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus and the Plastic Bricks Project in Côte d’Ivoire.

Key Club logo

Key Club International is the largest student-led organization for high schoolers that empowers its members with opportunities to provide service, build character and develop leadership. The funds they raised have supported UNICEF’s global efforts to provide early childhood education programs in Zambia as well as those to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus.

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