Image via:Â Unicef USA
Remember toting that little orange box that kinda reminded you of a box of animal crackers, but you knew it was going to help people?
Well, there’s a story behind that little orange box.
Image via: Book or Treat
It started with a school teacher named Mrs. Allison who saw her children’s heavy bags full of candy every Halloween and thought all that neighborly fun could be used for good and not just potential cavities. She later saw a parade led by UNICEF trying to raise money to supply milk to undernourished countries across the sea.  Mrs. Allison was so inspired by the parade that she came up with the idea of having children ask for money on behalf of UNICEF as they were trick or treating on Halloween—collected in milk cartons!
Image via: Washington Post
What started in Philadelphia in 1950 caught on and UNICEF started receiving checks from schools across the nation. And “trick or treat for UNICEF” was born!
It became so big that TV shows started helping–Like Lassie and the Brady Bunch.
In fact a whole episode of Bewitched was dedicated to UNICEF. Oh, how I would have loved to seen that episode.
Image via:Â Book or Treat
And Betsy McCall, the famous McCall paper doll even dedicated a whole page of Halloween cuteness to the cause!
Image via:Â ClutterShop
It has been more than sixty years since Mrs. Allison came up with her terrific idea and nearly $160 million have been raised to help UNICEF help make the lives of children better around the world
Since 2004 when UNICEF created online ways for schools to raise money, we don’t see too many of those orange boxes, but the wonderful idea of Mrs. Allison coupled with an amazing organization actually can change the world.
Info from Wasthington Post, Book or Treat and Child of the Sixties Forever.
Image via: Book or Treat
Do you remember carrying a UNICEF box?
Quelle wow !!!!! Fab post,adorb images,and I totally want a grown up version of that giant paisley print,baby-doll dress!!!
It’s so funny that you posted this today. I was reminiscing the other day about the awesome elderly couple on my street growing up who would invite us in during trick-or-treating and give us apples and homemade cookies and popcorn balls and they would have a big bowl of change for unicef banks…and my husband had no idea what I was talking about! I was surprised he didn’t know about it. Now you have the proof here to back me up! 🙂
Yes, I did use orange boxes for UNICEF when I went trick or treating. My parents also would save change just for Halloween to give to UNICEF when the kids came around. It would become a contest to see who could collect the most money.
We took those around too!!! I am from Canada and unicef here has stopped doing the box campaign in favor of a less fund-consuming way to collect donations. But, sadly, i think the fine ppl at unicef Canada have missed part of the point. The irange cardboard collection boxes were a grassroots campaign that kids could do! It was many kids first introduction to charitable work – and one really ‘owned’ by kids. Today we hold Unicef Halloween Parties with our kids and their friends to keep the spirit alive – but it really isnt the same… And lots of our guests have no clue what unicef is… So i think the Unicef Canada ppl missed the point entirely on this one…