Halloween is THIS week. This mean lots and lots of candy. At least in our house. Too much candy. More than my kids need or should even be eating. Usually my kids enjoy the candy for a few weeks and then forget about it. I know in a lot of homes this is the case. There is just too much candy.
What can you do with your excess Halloween candy?
You could always throw the candy away but how about donating it to the troops? This can be a great way to give back and a great solution to what you should do with excess Halloween candy. While you can always just package up the candy and send it to someone you know that is overseas, you can also work with these 3 organizations. They will make sure the candy gets out of your children’s hands and into the mouths of service members around the world.
- Halloween Candy Buyback is a great program where kids can give their candy to a local dentist. The kids will then receive a prize such as little toys, toothbrushes or foods and services. It just depends on the dentist. The dentist will then send the candy to Operation Gratitude. You can find a dentist who participates on the Halloween Candy Buyback website.
- Soldier’s Angels is also another place you can send your candy. They have a limit of 10 pounds and would like the candy you normally love to be sent to the soldiers.
- Operation Stars and Stripes encourage you and your children to let the houses you go trick or treating at know that they can donate to the troops as well. The candy is used to fill stockings for their Operation Holiday Stockings Campaign.
It might just be candy but it is worth a lot more than that to the soldiers, Marines, airmen and sailors living far from home. When the troops know that they are being supported, it is a great boost for morale. It is a great way to tell them that we care and that we support them. It makes their jobs a little bit easier.
Candy from home means they don’t have to skip Halloween. They can celebrate in their own way from overseas. When the candy gets to them, they can share it with everyone, pick out the pieces they love and trade for other ones. It is like what they used to do with their friends growing up. It can be a great way to make their time over there a little better.
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Giving candy to troops can also teach children about how to be generous with what they have received. By helping package up the candy, they can see that it is going to a good place. They will be able to learn what it means to give of yourself to help someone else. That is a very good thing and will help your kids be a little more generous and will teach them the importance of charity. It is also very important for kids to know how they can help the men and women in the military.
Do you know of any another organizations that will send candy to the troops? Have you donated your Halloween candy to these organizations in the past? Tell us about your experience.