Canada: Trick or Treat for Hunger

Canada came up with a great way to help fight world hunger this Halloween. Read the press release published on newswire.ca:

From coast to coast, youth will be trick-or-treating for non-perishable foods instead of candy through Free The Children’s Halloween for Hunger campaign. This annual campaign challenges young people to think locally and act globally in the fight against poverty. Food collected by all the ghouls, ghosts and goblins will be generously donated to local food banks.

This evening youth will be haunting the streets to help those living in need. In the first year of Halloween for Hunger, Free The Children Youth in Action groups went door-to-door and collected 10,500 lbs of food. Now in its sixth consecutive year, participants from all over North America are preparing to help others in the collection of non-perishable foods.

Sandra DaSilva, a teacher from Cariboo Hill Secondary School, British Columbia, has supported her students to participate in the campaign for the past two years and will be doing so again this year. “I believe it’s important to support our communities – both locally and globally. Halloween for Hunger allows youth to reach out and affect the lives of others” says DaSilva.

Halloween for Hunger also brings friends together. Jordana Weiss, 17, Toronto, enjoys spending her Halloween a little differently than some of her peers, but feels that it is more satisfying to help others. “Halloween for Hunger allows me to have a good time with my friends while gathering food for the people in our community. This is a great example of how we can make a difference and have fun at the same time!”

Groups and individuals get involved with Halloween for Hunger to help alleviate hunger and raise awareness of global poverty. Nearly 38 per cent of Canadians who use food banks every month are children. To make a difference this Halloween and to learn more, visit www.freethechildren.com.

Free The Children is the world’s largest network of children helping children through education, with more than one million young people involved in its innovative programs in 45 countries. Founded in 1995 by international child rights activist Craig Kielburger, the organization has an established track record of success with three nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize and partnerships with the United Nations and Oprah’s Angel Network. With the energy and passion of young people and the help of adult supporters, Free The Children has, to date, built 450 schools that provide a daily education to 40,000 children.

For further information: or to schedule a conversation with a group participating in Halloween for Hunger, please contact Amy Schlein, Free The Children’s director of communications at (416) 925-5894 ext. 152 or at communications@freethechildren.com

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