Trick-or-Treat For UNICEF Celebrates 60 Years of Kids Helping Kids

Iconic collection boxes available exclusively at Toys"R"Us^® and Babies"R"Us^® Stores nationwide

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the 60th consecutive year, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF will launch its time-honored Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign this fall. Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has served as the Original Kids Helping Kids^® campaign for generations of American children providing them with the most impactful way of making a difference in the lives of the world's children.  

"As one of the longest-running youth volunteer initiatives in America, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has a deep-rooted history of empowering children," said U.S. Fund for UNICEF President and CEO Caryl Stern. "Whether you're a kid, or a kid at heart, join us in celebrating the 60th anniversary of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. By supporting the campaign, you'll inspire the next generation of America's youth and help them develop a connection to philanthropy that will last a lifetime, as well as help us in our mission to reduce the daily number of preventable deaths in children under five from 22,000 to zero."

On Halloween night 60 years ago, America's children changed the world.  Children across the nation were inspired to collect coins for UNICEF to aid kids recovering from World War II. Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF pioneered service learning by educating young people about their peers in developing countries all around the world and engaging them in hands-on activities to raise awareness and much needed funds.

Participants can continue to follow in the footsteps of many by carrying the iconic orange box door-to-door this Halloween. Toys"R"Us^® and Babies"R"Us^® stores will serve as destinations for kids and families across the country to obtain the iconic orange collection boxes, available through October 30th, while supplies last.

"For six decades, kids just like us have participated in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, making a difference in the lives of children in need all over the world," said Selena Gomez, UNICEF Ambassador and 2010 Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF National Spokesperson "Join me this Halloween and together we can make sure that every child, everywhere gets what he or she needs to grow and thrive."

UNICEF Ambassador Selena Gomez— who just released her highly anticipated sophomore album "A Year Without Rain" and stars in Disney's Emmy Award–winning "Wizards of Waverly Place"— will return this year as Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF National Spokesperson. Gomez will utilize her range of talents and achievements to fundraise and advocate for children and support UNICEF's mission to ensure every child's right to health, education, equality and protection. 

This year, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF will also launch a new application for the iPhone and Facebook that will provide fun and educational tools to allow parents and kids alike to participate in the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF no matter where they are, enabling them to spread the word and help to fundraise for children all over the world. Participants can also support the campaign by hosting Halloween parties or by texting the word "TOT" to UNICEF (864233) to donate $5 on your mobile phone.

The iconic campaign has evolved significantly in recent years and owes its success to the generosity of many partner organizations and corporations. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is grateful for the support of national sponsors Toys"R"Us, Inc. and HGTV along with proud supporters FEED/HSN,  Key Club International, as well as Coinstar Inc, Kmart,  American Airlines, PLAYBILL and The Broadway League's Kids' Night on Broadway.

Toys"R"Us, Inc. joins the campaign this year as the new national sponsor. In support of the campaign, Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores will be distributing the orange collection boxes and is also the first partner to launch a fully integrated customer fundraising campaign benefiting the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF program. Customers can make a donation at cash registers in stores nationwide or online at www.Toysrus.com/UNICEF.  On October 30th, Toys"R"Us stores across the country will host the "Geoffrey's Halloween Parade" event offering trick-or-treaters the opportunity to design their very own Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box before they set out to fundraise on Halloween night.  In addition, the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund, has provided a $200,000 grant to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in support of the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign.

HGTV is pleased to return as the national media sponsor of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF's 60th anniversary.  This year, HGTV will highlight Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF in a prime time Halloween television special airing on October 16 at 8 PM ET/PT and include Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF in the Halloween section of HGTV.com.

Additionally, in honor of the 60th anniversary of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, FEED Projects designed a special edition FEED Trick-or-Treat bag to benefit UNICEF.  For each bag purchased exclusively at hsn.com/hsncares, HSN will make a donation* to help UNICEF provide one child in the developing world with an entire year's worth of micronutrient powders. HSN is donating 100% of its profits from the FEED Trick-or-Treat bag to support UNICEF's nutrition programs.

Key Club International, a Kiwanis service leadership program, is again proving that trick-or-treating is not all about the candy. For the 16th year, Key Club members nationwide will demonstrate the Kiwanis mission of "changing the world one child and one community at a time" by helping teens in Uruguay by participating in the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF.

To date, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has raised nearly $160 million dollars for UNICEF's lifesaving programs around the world. But as long as there is work to be done for children, the mission of America's youth remains the same—and the campaign that empowers, educates and inspires them is going strong.

For more information about Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF visit www.trickortreatforunicef.org.

About UNICEF

UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. Working in more than 150 countries, UNICEF provides children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States.

UNICEF is at the forefront of efforts to reduce child mortality worldwide. There has been substantial progress: the annual number of under-five deaths dropped from 13 million in 1990 to 8.8 million in 2008. But still, 22,000 children die each day from preventable causes. Our mission is to do whatever it takes to make that number zero by giving children the essentials for a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

*For each FEED Trick-or-Treat bag purchased through HSN or at hsn.com, HSN will donate $3.50 to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to help support UNICEF's nutrition programs.  No part of the purchase price is tax-deductible.  UNICEF does not endorse any brand or product.  For more information about UNICEF visit www.unicefusa.org, feedprojects.com, or hsn.com/hsncares.

SOURCE U.S. Fund for UNICEF