It is hard to realize that it has been seven years since Clay Aiken was appointed the National Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Spokesperson for the 2005 project.  Do you remember seeing this announcement?

Multi-platinum recording artist and UNICEF National Ambassador Clay Aiken will act as the National Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Spokesperson for the 2005 campaign. As this year’s national spokesperson, Aiken will encourage kids and adults to get involved by raising funds for vulnerable children in other parts of the world. Aiken was appointed a National Ambassador in 2004.

This year’s Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF spokesperson is UNICEF Ambassador Clay Aiken, a formerU.S.schoolteacher who witnessed the reopening of tent schools using the School-in-a-Box in Indonesia after the tsunami struck there in 2004.

Well, it is now the season to think about Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF.  This program is a fun and easy way to support UNICEF as they help the children of the world.

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF began in 1950 when kids simply decorated old milk cartons to collect change.  According to UNICEF:

They raised a grand total of $17, kicking off a campaign that has since brought in millions of dollars each year to help UNICEF provide medicine, better nutrition, safe water, education, emergency relief and other support to children in more than 150 countries.

And millions of children now participate in Halloween-related fund-raising campaigns in the United States, Canada and Hong Kong, China, among other places.

But in these campaigns, children go far beyond trick or treating in scary costumes with the familiar orange collection boxes in hand. Children and young people take part in various fun and educational events that help them gain a better understanding of child rights and the challenges facing children around the world – including poverty, killer diseases and armed conflict. They help stage events to raise funds and increase awareness about these issues, and in doing so learn that they can help change the world.

This year, UNICEF has decided to let the trick-or-treaters design their own collection boxes.  Titled the Create-a-Character Contest, the kids can use glitter, feathers, stickers, glue and their imaginations to design their special collection box.  Three kids will be chosen to have their designs featured on limited-edition collections next year!

So, if you are a parent, grandparent, Aunt, or teacher, why not introduce your kids to Trick-Or Treat for UNICEF.  According to Clay Aiken:

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is more than a fundraising program. For many children, it’s their first introduction to philanthropy and the needs of their peers in places far away. It is wonderful to know that I can be a part of that moment

For more information about how to order a collection box or ways that your children can participate, visit UNICEF

The following is a wonderful video from Key Club.  You can see and hear Clay talk about Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF and how he became involved.  

Enjoy!