# Halloween Fun Pack Project for COVID-19



## a71678 (May 25, 2020)

Hi, all! Long-time lurker (a decade-plus and counting...), first-time poster. My name is Jason, and I love Halloween! Back in 2008, I founded a safe trick-or-treating block party that ended up drawing hundreds of kids each year. After nearly a decade, I retired (though the event continues) and started making Halloween fun packs of my own to hand out to the 100-plus trick-or-treaters at my house, with different themes each year. (The first ones, featuring the Universal monsters, drew the attention of both Ricou "Creature from the Black Lagoon" Browning and Rich "Svengoolie" Koz, and ended up on national television.)

This year, with concerns about the possibility that COVID-19 will hinder traditional Halloween festivities, I have combined those experiences to create the Halloween Fun Pack Project (www.halloweenfunpack.com). The goal is to mail up to 1,000 free Halloween "fun packs," with candy and other goodies, to up to 1,000 children unable to trick-or-treat traditionally due to COVID-19. Below is a press release with more information, including crowdfunding opportunities with donor incentives such as project-exclusive Halloween and monster trading cards, prints, and signed one-of-a-kind sketch cards produced by artists who have done work for Topps, Upper Deck, comic books and other well-known projects.

If anyone in this group is inclined to spread the word, via Facebook (www.facebook.com/halloweenfunpack) or other means, I'd truly be grateful. I'd hate for any kid to miss out because their parents didn't know about it. This is one of the few forums I know of where I can be absolutely sure people are thinking about Halloween in May!

I look forward to being less of a lurker in the future. I had planned to try to get back into prop building this year. But with everything else going on... maybe next year!











IMMEDIATELY

MILLSBORO, DE---As millions throughout the U.S. determine how best to celebrate the summer during the COVID-19 pandemic, one Delaware man has his sights set on Halloween.

Jason Rhodes, founder of the Halloween Fun Pack Project, hopes to provide up to 1,000 free “fun packs” with candy, stickers, trading cards, activity pages and more this October to children throughout the U.S. who may be unable to trick-or-treat due to COVID-19.

“Most people at this time of the year normally are thinking about beaches and vacations, not jack-o-lanterns and skeletons,” said Rhodes. “To make this project a reality, however, likely will require months of fundraising, which is why it’s important to start now.”

Rhodes is no stranger to starting Halloween planning early. For nine years, he organized Treat Street, a safe Halloween trick-or-treating event in Salisbury, MD, that required months of advance planning and a similar fundraising commitment to serve hundreds of children annually.

Established in response to parents concerned about taking their children trick-or-treating door-to-door following an increase in reported crime, that project was named the No. 1 youth event in the nation by JCI USA, then known as the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce.

“The goal then was similar to the goal of this project: to provide children with a sense of normalcy and enjoyment during what may be an otherwise disappointing time for them due to circumstances beyond their control.”

Rhodes hopes to raise $4,200 to support the Halloween Fun Pack Project through crowdfunding and sponsorships. A GoFundMe site with information on donor incentives and more is available at www.gofundme.com/f/halloween-fun-pack-project-covid19.

“All of the donor incentives play on the Halloween and monster theme, and most are exclusive to this project,” said Rhodes. “Several artists throughout the country, whose work has been featured by comic book and trading card companies such as Topps, Upper Deck, Leaf and Cryptozoic, are providing original art for donors in the way of signed monster- and horror-themed sketch cards. It has been exciting to see their interpretations of the genre.”

Sketch card artists signed on for the project so far include Rob Floyd, Andrew Lopez, Clay Sayre and Eric Sobel.

Parents may register children age 12 and under to receive a free fun pack beginning in September. Packs will be mailed the week of October 25 on a first-come, first-served basis in the order registrations are received.

“The goal is to send 1,000, but it all depends on funding,” said Rhodes. “Based on whether we meet or exceed our fundraising target, we could end up sending fewer or a whole lot more.”

And what if COVID-19 doesn’t turn out to be a problem this Halloween?

“Then we’ll join the world in celebrating,” said Rhodes. “However, with some states and jurisdictions already saying schools may not reopen until at least January and health officials predicting the virus may spike again in the fall, I think most people are anticipating that COVID-19 unfortunately is still going to be with us in some form this Halloween.

“Even if government or municipal orders don’t shut down trick-or-treating, I think there are going to be more than a few parents who will be concerned about the germ factor of accepting candy from unknown households. And there will always be children unable to trick-or-treat due to other considerations, such as general safety and medical conditions. I’m proud that this project will help fill that need. The more smiles we can put on kids’ faces this Halloween, the better.”

For more information visit the Halloween Fun Pack Project website at www.halloweenfunpack.com.

/eof


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## Ladyfrog (Sep 21, 2018)

I love this!


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## hjg0989 (Aug 19, 2019)

Wow, you are very accomplished! Congratulations on your past successes and best of luck going forward!


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## fennyann (Sep 6, 2012)

This is amazing! Kudos to you for organizing this!


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## GraveyardQueen (Jul 9, 2011)

Thank you! This just warmed my heart beyond belief. I love this idea and am so excited you’ve started this!


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## Spookerstar (Jun 3, 2011)

a71678 said:


> Hi, all! Long-time lurker (a decade-plus and counting...), first-time poster. My name is Jason, and I love Halloween! Back in 2008, I founded a safe trick-or-treating block party that ended up drawing hundreds of kids each year. After nearly a decade, I retired (though the event continues) and started making Halloween fun packs of my own to hand out to the 100-plus trick-or-treaters at my house, with different themes each year. (The first ones, featuring the Universal monsters, drew the attention of both Ricou "Creature from the Black Lagoon" Browning and Rich "Svengoolie" Koz, and ended up on national television.)
> 
> This year, with concerns about the possibility that COVID-19 will hinder traditional Halloween festivities, I have combined those experiences to create the Halloween Fun Pack Project (www.halloweenfunpack.com). The goal is to mail up to 1,000 free Halloween "fun packs," with candy and other goodies, to up to 1,000 children unable to trick-or-treat traditionally due to COVID-19. Below is a press release with more information, including crowdfunding opportunities with donor incentives such as project-exclusive Halloween and monster trading cards, prints, and signed one-of-a-kind sketch cards produced by artists who have done work for Topps, Upper Deck, comic books and other well-known projects.
> 
> ...


I love that you are planning such a thoughtful way to bring joy this Halloween! Thank you!


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## a71678 (May 25, 2020)

Thank you all for your support! I've been posting updates on the project, including new sketch card artists, candy announcements, donor shout-outs and more, on the project's social media pages, if anyone is interested in following:

www.facebook.com/halloweenfunpack
www.twitter.com/halloweenfunpak
Instagram: halloweenfunpack

We have a long way to go, fundraising-wise, but it's been exciting so far!


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## nightbeasties (May 22, 2008)

I'm so glad you posted this here. I follow you on Twitter, and Insta. I'll be donating next week, I think this was such a smart move. Halloween will not be as we're all used to.


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## GraveyardQueen (Jul 9, 2011)

Just sent what I could! Thanks for setting this up! I’m figuring out something smaller scale for my nyc neighbors, but it’s so important to me that the magic reaches as many kids as possible!


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## a71678 (May 25, 2020)

Thanks, GraveyardQueen and nightbeasties! I really appreciate your support, and it's so exciting that we're closing in on the halfway point of our fundraising goal!

Two months until Halloween, and we're still gladly accepting donations and sponsors. For anyone else who is interested, please check us out at www.halloweenfunpackproject.com


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