“Batman,” my four-year-old screamed. Then it was, “Superman!” That was followed by “Darth Vader, Power Ranger, Spiderman!”

No, it was not a superhero convention. It was just that annual ritual of Halloween costume selection. I spent part of my weekend trying to help my little guy decide what he wants to be for Halloween this year. As we sifted through our stash of hand-me-downs from my oldest son and my nephew, I realized how fortunate we are to have so many choices.

I’ve even been saving the beautiful costumes that Grandma made from scratch for the kids – costumes that will never fit anyone in my family again. “What am I doing?” I thought. There are people struggling to put food on their tables – they could never afford to send their little ones out on Halloween in such style.

So, I decided to donate the costumes we are no longer using, and I wanted to do it now, for this Halloween. I first thought that children in foster care or those living in shelters would benefit the most. So, I made a call to our local County Department of Health and Human Services to help direct me.

In addition to foster care, there are many other ways you can donate your Halloween costumes:

1. If there is a town or two in your general area that tends to be underprivileged, get in touch with the school system in that town. Most likely, the administrators in these schools are very aware of the children most in need.
2. Call your local hospital and ask them to put you in touch with the folks at its low-income clinic. Again, the nurses who care for needy children will know instantly if anyone can use a donated costume. If the hospital does not have a low-income clinic, ask to speak to the manager of the Pediatric Unit. Perhaps there are some children hospitalized during Halloween who would enjoy your costumes.
3. In this economy, many people have lost their jobs. If you know someone who has fallen on tough times, make a phone call and offer your costumes to their children. Or, ask around to all of your friends and family in case they might know someone in need.
4. Contact your local Ronald McDonald House, Salvation Army, or Good Will organization. These, too, are great resources in identifying those in your community most in need.
5. Gather your Girl Scout or Boy Scout Troop, religious group, civic class, or other group and conduct a costume drive immediately after this Halloween. Post flyers, send out press releases, and e-mail notes to everyone you know. Host a drop-off day at your home or local community center, where your group of volunteers can sort the costumes by size, make sure they are clean and have all the necessary pieces, and bag them and mark them. Then, pick a charity like any of the ones mentioned above and drop off your donation.
6. You can always Freecycle your unused costumes. Check out Freecycle to see if there is a Freecycle group in your area. A lot of folks who use Freecycle have very little means to purchase anything new.

Halloween may not be the holiday that’s filled with “spirit,” at least not the spirit of giving that is associated with the winter holidays. But don’t underestimate your ability to help those in need, even at Halloween.

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