Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is a fund-raising program for children sponsored by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Started on Halloween 1950 as a local event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, the program historically involves the distribution of small orange boxes by schools to trick-or-treaters, in which they can solicit small change donations from the houses they visit.[1][2][3] Millions of children in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Mexico, and Hong Kong participate in Halloween-related fund-raising events for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, and the program has raised over US $188 million worldwide.[4]
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Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF was invented by Mary Emma Allison, the wife of Presbyterian minister Clyde Allison.[5] In 1949, the Allisons were living in Bridesburg, a neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.[6] When Mrs.Allison saw a UNICEF booth collecting funds to send powdered milk to undernourished children around the world, she thought of getting children to collect donations for UNICEF instead of candy. Rev. Clyde Allison introduced the concept to local Presbyterian churches. On Halloween 1950, the Allisons recruited their own children and their community's to go door-to-door collecting nickels and dimes in decorated milk cartons to aid children in post-World War II Europe.[4][5][7] They collected a total of $17 and donated all of it to UNICEF.
In 1953, the United States Committee for UNICEF started actively promoting the program.[6] By the 1960s, the concept had expanded throughout the United States, with small orange collection boxes distributed to millions of trick-or-treaters.[8] When UNICEF won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson said in his congratulatory letter: "Your UNICEF Trick or Treat Day has helped turn a holiday too often marred by youthful vandalism into a program of basic training in world citizenship."[9] In 1967, Johnson declared Halloween, October 31, to be 'UNICEF Day' in the United States; by 1969, 3.5 million American children were trick-or-treating for donations.[8] Children (and adults) in the U.S. have collected over US $144 million for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF.[4] In 2008, the U.S. Committee for UNICEF introduced mobile phone text message donations as well as a MySpace and Facebook page.[10]
The program has also expanded outside of the United States. Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF in Canada, which started in 1955, has raised more than CAN $96 million.[11] A Canadian proclamation declared October 31 of each year 'National UNICEF Day' in 2000.[12] In 2006, UNICEF Canada discontinued the collection box part of their program, citing safety and administrative concerns.[3] However, the program in Canada continues, with the 2008 program featuring events including pumpkin-carving contests, pumpkin art tours, and reading marathons.[11] Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF in Hong Kong was launched in 2001, and has raised more than HK $6 million.[13]
More recently, Trick-Or-Treat for UNICEF has partnered with Coinstar to donate their change in the Coinstar machine to UNICEF.