The spooky season is all about community, so give back this year by supporting some Halloween charities. From monetary gifts to volunteering to donating old costumes, pumpkins, or candy, there are a variety of ways to help others in your community and beyond. Here are just a handful of Halloween & haunt nonprofits and causes to consider.
Don’t Be A Monster is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that partners with haunted attractions across the country to serve causes that matter most to our Halloween & haunt community. In previous years, DBAM has raised funds to provide free bullying prevention assemblies to schools throughout the United States. According to their website, they have given over 1,600 presentations, reaching over 478,000 students. For 2026, the organization is launching its first-ever costume drive, providing brand new costumes to children in need this Fall.
Haunters Against Hate is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that aims to eradicate all forms of prejudice, discrimination, hate speech or action against the LGBTQ+ culture in America and to educate people on the LGBTQ+ community. Since its formation in 2016, HAH has provided over $75,000 in grants to LGBTQ+ organizations.
Since 2021, HAH has also hosted a convention that combines the horror, haunt, and LGBTQ+ communities for an event that offers a welcoming space for all. It features, workshops, vendors, competitions, drag shows, the HAH Awards, and more.
Scares That Care is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has raised and donated over $400,000 to organizations and families with a child affected by illness, severe burns, or people fighting breast cancer. The charity raises money by hosting auctions, attending conventions, and holding annual events. They are a 100% volunteer-run organization.
Every year, Scares That Care gives a gift of $10,000 to three individuals: a breast cancer patient, a severe burn victim, and a sick child.
‘Ween Dream is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that gives free Halloween costumes to children in need across America. The organization began as a one-woman costume collection effort in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and it has grown to a nationally-recognized Halloween costume donation organization.
Since 2014 ‘Ween Dream has distributed over 20,000 new and gently used costumes to children across the U.S.
UNICEF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that rallies the American public to support the most vulnerable children around the world. Their mission is to ensure every child is healthy, educated, protected, and respected. While not a Halloween/haunt charity in and of itself, its annual Halloween season fundraiser is ubiquitous in local neighborhoods.
Since 1950 Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has raised millions of dollars for children in need worldwide. Generations of kids have taken the iconic UNICEF little orange box with them on their Halloween adventures and said “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF” to collect donations. The money then goes towards flexible funding and to programs that provide essentials including education, safe water, vaccinations, and more.
Each Halloween season over two billion pounds of pumpkins will end up in landfills. This food waste produces methane and can be quite detrimental to the environment. Give your pumpkins a purpose after the Halloween fun by donating them to various causes. Here are just a few Halloween charities to consider:
Pumpkins for the People offers organics recycling solutions in the Washington D.C. area. They partner with many local agencies, such as DC Public Works, Martha’s Table, Maryland Environmental Service, Civic Works Real Food Farm, and more
Pumpkins for Pigs prevents food waste in communities by collecting pumpkin (and other viable foodstuffs) to farms, animal sanctuaries, and rescues for feed. They have donation sites across the U.S. (and one in Canada so far). This is a wonderful option for animal lovers who want to provide substance, nutrition, and enrichment to our animal friends.
The Pumpkin Smash is an annual effort by communities to divert pumpkins from landfills by providing locations for residents to drop-off jack-o-lanterns to be composted. It is typically held each year the Saturday after Halloween. Don’t Trash it, Smash it!
In partnership with SCARCE – a group that provides environmental programs, resource, rescue, and reuse of supplies – 100+ pumpkin smashes are scheduled around the U.S. each year. Their website has a tool to help you find the closest event near you.
The above Halloween charities are just a handful of options to give back to your community this spooky season. There are countless ways to get involved. Let’s make sure that everyone can enjoy our favorite season together! Here are just a few other ideas:
No matter how you choose to spread the Halloween joy, it certainly will make a difference in your community.
The spooky season is all about community, so give back this year by supporting some Halloween charities. From monetary gifts to volunteering to donating old costumes, pumpkins, or candy, there
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