This weekend we shared a story about how to celebrate Halloween safely, but here’s another idea…for turning Halloween into a day of giving to others:
Windsor Square residents Zoe Corwin and Alysoun Higgins sent out an email inviting neighbors to take part in a different kind of Halloween tradition. Instead of buying candy, they are inviting neighbors to donate the money they would have spend on candy to support the efforts of Big Sunday and the LA Regional Food Bank. They designed some fun lawn signs that welcome visitors to enjoy the decorations but not to expect any candy, explaining that a donation was made instead. Seems like a win-win for everyone.
Here’s the letter with links. Everyone is welcome to participate.
Hello neighbors!
Halloween is around the corner and we LOVE that so many people have decorated houses! Three cheers for adding zest to people’s daily walks!! In an effort to communicate that we’re not handing out candy this year (boo!), we’ve created the attached lawn signs (thanks to Alysoun & Katie Higgins).
If you’d like to order a lawn sign, please fill out this form by MONDAY 10/19. We’ll be in touch soon with the price of the sign (will depend on # of signs ordered – estimated b/w $6-$9 per sign), directions for payment + pick-up/delivery instructions.
And an invitation: Please join us in donating what you would have spent on Halloween candy to one of two (or both!!) amazing orgs — Big Sunday and the LA Regional Food Bank (see below for more info + donation links) – who are SUPER appreciative of this idea. Of course if you have another org you support, please do!
Big Sunday. According to Executive Director David Levinson, Big Sunday would very much appreciate donations to their Emergency Fund to help fight food insecurity. Among other things, right now they’re collecting for:
- Halloween candy for “Wicked Week,” a week-long celebration of special events so kids can celebrate Halloween
- Thanksgiving food for thousands of families through their Annual Thanksgiving Stuffing Event
- All kinds of staples through their monthly End of the Month Club food drive.
Please know that donations will be distributed among Big Sunday’s enormous network of nonprofits and schools. These groups help working poor families, unhoused people, foster kids, at-promise youth, victims of domestic violence, veterans, seniors, people with illnesses and disabilities – and more.
Please contribute here: Big Sunday donations. Please specify Emergency Fund/Windsor Square [or your particular neighborhood] in the tribute line so they can track donations made through our group.
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. The mission of the LA Food Bank is to mobilize resources to fight hunger in our community by sourcing and distributing food, energizing the community to support hunger relief, conducting hunger awareness campaigns and advocating for public policies that alleviate hunger.
The Food Bank was so excited by our interest in supporting them that they created a special “Donate your Candy Budget” GoFundMe campaign for our group. Please contribute here: Food Bank donations.
We are grateful to be surrounded by such an incredible community.
Please take good care,
Zoe Corwin (Van Ness) & Alysoun Higgins (Wilton)PS: Please feel free to forward this email to anyone who might be interested in a sign/donation!
