Helping Children Trick-or-Treat

Halloween is an exciting time to be a kid. For many Riverside families struggling to make ends meet, however, the fun—and feeling like a “normal” kid—is out of reach. In response, The Guidance Center (Riverside’s children and family services division in the Cambridge and Somerville area) connected donors and families to ensure every kid in our programs would have the chance to trick-or-treat, just like the rest of their classmates. We filled an Amazon Wish List with costumes specifically requested by children in our programs. Our generous community members made sure every single child—almost 30 of them—would get to dress up as zombies, princesses, and superheroes this year.

The success of the Halloween wish list is a testament to the vibrant donor community that enables Riverside to go above and beyond excellence in mental health care. One passionate donor noted, “All kids want a sense of belonging and to feel very special, especially on Halloween; they need to be allowed to feel like a kid and not think about the adversity they’re facing. This was a no-brainer for me.” With their help, the families we serve will have a happy Halloween this year and happy memories for years to come. We hope you do too!

~Scott M. Bock, President/CEO