Developed by 12-year-old Emma Rose Shapiro, The Halloween Helpers collects gently-used Halloween costumes and donates them to children who might otherwise be left out of this annual dress-up day.
In 2009, the first year of the program, Emma set an ambitious goal: to collect 1,000 previously-enjoyed Halloween costumes. Thanks to the generosity of her extended community, she exceeded her goal: 2,036 costumes were collected.
All were distributed free of charge on October 19-20, 2009 to children served by the Greater Norristown PAL and to local agencies and schools that serve children in need.
Please take a look at the following photo album to see some of the wonderful children who celebrated Halloween 2009 in style thanks to the efforts of the organizations listed to the right.
We cannot adequately express our gratitute to all of the wonderful volunteers, costume collection sites, families and friends in the media who helped share our story and embrace Emma's vision. Our goal was to make sure that every child in the Norristown area had the opportunity to celebrate Halloween to its fullest and thanks to all of you, we were able to make this happen!
We look forward to working with you all again in 2010.
Warm regards,
Emma Rose Shapiro, Founder
Ilyse Shapiro, Coordinator
The Halloween Helpers
Thank you to our generous sponsors:
Smith-Edwards-Dunlap Company: printing and graphics
LESCO Paper & Box Company: costume collection boxes
Gaffney's Fabrics: materials for cape-making crusade
The Handwork Studio:cape-making crusade
plastic bags
Thank you to these fantastic organizations for completing successful costume drives!
The Antique Store in Wayne
Belmont Hills Elementary School
Brownie Troop 1713, Spring Corner, PA
Kim Carlin and the Community of
Ridley Park
Carson Valley Children's Aid, Norristown
Continental Bank
The Country Day School of the Sacred Heart
Creative Child Day Care Centers
Cynwyd Elementary School
Elmwood Park Zoo
Eye Site, Glenolden
Family Services of Montgomery County
Friends Central, Lower School
Generous Generations
Genesis Housing, Norristown
Gladwyne Elementary School
Greater Norristown Art League
The Handwork Studio
Havertown Center
The Hills at Bethel
Indian Valley YMCA
Jazzercise, Broomall
John Kelly, Brandywine Realty Trust
Kids First, Haverford
Lansdale Catholic High School
The Little Gym
Main Line Art Center
Main Line Reform Temple
The Malatesta Family
Dr. Marlene Mash
Merion Elementary School
MOMS Club of Tredyffrin-Easttown
Montgomery Early Learing Center
Penn Valley Elementary School
Penn Wynne Elementary School
Plato's Closet, Exton
Sesame Rockwood Camps CIT Program
Smith-Edwards-Dunlap Company
The Springside School
Startin' School in Style
St Anastasia School
St. Philip Neri School
St. Teresa of Avila, Eagleville
SS Philip and James Parish
Upper Main Line YMCA
Tredyffrin Township Summer Camps
West Point Child Learning Center
Westtown Thornbury Elementary School
Wolf Performing Arts Center
The Wonderkey School
Thank you to our friends in the media
who helped spread the word about
The Halloween Helpers.
November 9, 2009: People Magazine
November 1, 2009: The Times Herald
October 20, 2009: The Times Herald
October 19, 2009: KYW-Newsradio 1060 AM
October 19, 2009: CBS 3
October 19, 2009: 6ABC
The Halloween Helpers Distributes Costumes at the Greater Norristown PAL
October 5, 2009: NBC 10
October 1, 2009: Parents Express
September 29, 2009: Daily Candy
September, 29, 2009: My FOX Philly, WTXF-TV29
September 25, 2009: The Philadelphia Business Journal
September 24, 2009: AroundMainLine.com
September 24, 2009: CBS3, Philadelphia
September 24, 2009: The Main Line Times
September 21, 2009: The Delaware County Daily Times
September 20, 2009: The Lansdale Reporter
September 17, 2009: KYW-Newsradio 1060 AM
September 14, 2009: The Mercury
August 16, 2009: My Community Trend
August 4, 2009: Delaware County News Network
June 14, 2009: The Times Herald
June 11, 2009: Costumzee.com
June 10, 2009: TownTalkNews.com:
Lower Merion and Narberth TV
