Feel Good Friday - 10/31 Consortium

Happy Halloween! Today we’re profiling a krewe that’s been organizing Halloween events for children for the last 15 years, 10/31 Consortium.

Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 10/31 Consortium was started by a group of friends who love Halloween and wanted to find ways for the children in their area to have a safe an happy Halloween. You can watch this 2-minute explainer video to hear the origin story from one of the founders.

The goals of 10/31 Consortium include revitalizing the neighborhood tradition of trick-or-treating, providing comfort and support to children who are hospitalized, and creating outlets for the community to express its Halloween creativity. There are several programs that support these goals.

Trick or Treat assistance helps neighborhoods who want to encourage trick-or-treating by proving costumes for children, candy for neighbors to hand out, flashlights, street closures and security. Free costumes, both new and gently used, are collected during a costume and candy drive that runs from from September 1st through the costume giveaway day in mid-October.

In partnership with Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, 10/31 Consortium provides goodie bags for hospitalized children that can include art supplies, Halloween crafts and gift cards. There is also a Kids’ Court Youth Leadership and Volunteer Program that was created in 2018 to teach children ages 6-18 about organization, compassion and public speaking.

In addition to all of this, 10/31 Consortium organizes the Fifolet Halloween Festival every year. It is Baton Rouge’s largest free Halloween event and the 4-day festival culminates with a Halloween parade and food drive. The 2025 Festival took place earlier this month but now you know so you can plan your visit for next year. 

Since they began, 10/31 Consortium has collected more than 12,000 pounds of food, donated $25,000 to OLOL Children’s Hospital, and given away 6,409 Halloween costumes for a total financial impact of $335,247!

If you’d like to support their work you can volunteer your time, donate your money and shop for merch. You can also raise awareness on social media by following 10/31 Consortium on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribing to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - Y'alloween

Halloween is coming up on Tuesday so it’s time for a spooky Feel Good Friday post about Y’alloween.

Founded by high school junior BJ Rottinghaus and his family in 2021, Y’alloween is a non-profit based in Houston, Texas that helps kids in need get free Halloween costumes. Given the name of the organization, I suspect the location of the headquarters is not a surprise. 🎃 Knowing that the expense of a Halloween costume is out of reach for many families, the team at Y’alloween partners with local community organizations who have programs for children. 

In their first year, Y’alloween worked with the Houston Area Women’s Center and provided 50 costumes. Since then, they’ve added Aid to Victims of Domestic Violence and Assurance Therapeutic Outreach to their list of partners. They’ve also recently expanded beyond the Houston area and are now working with the Austin branch of the Salvation Army. 

By working with these partners, Y’alloween has already given away 300 costumes to children in need and they’re on track to give away 400 more costumes this year! Their goal is for “every kid in Texas to be able go trick-or-treating without parents worrying about buying a brand new costume.” 

There are many ways you can help make this goal a reality. Buy an item from Y’alloween’s Amazon wish list or make a general donation. You can also use the next few days to spread the word on social media. Like the Y’alloween Facebook page and follow them on Instagram @yalloweentx.

 

Feel Good Friday - Costume Connections

With Halloween right around the corner, it’s time to focus on organizations getting costumes to kids who need them. Let’s start with Costume Connections.

Founded in 2017 and based in Austin, Texas, Costume Connections’ mission is “to ensure that every child's imagination is nurtured with a costume of their choice at Halloween.” 

As they explain on their website, children who are unable to participate in school parades and trick-or-treating can be left with feelings of exclusion and shame. Costume Connections provides pop up costume shops for children in need so they can participate in these experiences with costumes they select and are proud to wear. 

You can see a short news story on the organization from KXAN and, if you live in Texas, you can visit their costume pop up shop on October 22nd. No matter where you live, you can help provide Halloween costumes for children in Austin. How? Support Costume Connections with a donation and by amplifying their message on social media. Like their Facebook page and follow them on Instagram @costumeconnectionsatx.

Another organization that provides Halloween costumes to children is ‘WEEN DREAM. They focus on children "who are faced with unique challenges, including those with special needs, physical and/or mental disabilities, homeless children, kids living in poverty or at shelters, children with serious medical issues, kids in the foster care system, and kids who have experienced a recent trauma or natural disaster.”

Although based in New Orleans, Louisiana, 'WEEN DREAM ships costumes to children in need around the United States. To learn more about this organization and how to support them, visit this Feel Good Friday post from 2019.

Finally, for those of you in the Bay Area, the San Francisco Public Library is having a Halloween costume swap on October 22nd. Bring a costume, take a costume or do both. Happy Halloween!

Feel Good Friday - 'WEEN DREAM

It's Feel Good Friday and the time to get your Halloween costume together is running out! Luckily, there's 'WEEN DREEM.

Founded in 2014 by Kelsey Meeks and located in New Orleans, Louisiana, 'WEEN DREAM "gives free Halloween costumes to children in need across America." To date over 10,000 "'WEENSTERS" in 38 states have received costumes.

As explained on their website, 'WEEN DREAM focuses on children "who are faced with unique challenges, including those with special needs, physical and/or mental disabilities, homeless children, kids living in poverty or at shelters, children with serious medical issues, kids in the foster care system, and kids who have experienced a recent trauma or natural disaster." Whew!

The costume application period runs from August 1st through 30th every year and includes applications for individuals, families and groups. Matching begins August 31st and costumes are picked up or shipped between October 1st and 12th.

The organization is run by volunteers and depends on costume donations from people around the country. If you have some new, or gently used, complete costumes you no longer need, you can check the FAQs to find out how to donate them. Bonus points if you've got one of the highly requested costumes such as Black Panther, Wonder Woman or Harry Potter. Donations are accepted year round.

If you don't have any costumes but still want to support 'WEEN DREAM you can make a monetary donation, purchase storage and shipping supplies from their Amazon Wish List, or review the guidelines posted online and host a costume drive. As always, you can stay in the loop by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @WEENDREAM. 

Happy Halloween!