When moving, Naperville resident Melissa Chung took notice of the large amount of assorted Halloween costumes her children had accumulated —many of which were expensive, in good condition, and only worn once.
Chung, who was looking for a way to give back to the community, began to casually talk with family members about the logistics involved with redistributing Halloween costumes to needy families after Halloween last year.
Last spring, she formally started Donations for Dressup: Ensuring Every Child Has A Spooktacular Halloween — an organization that collects and distributes gently used and new Halloween costumes for children in need.
In addition to costumes, Chung, with the help of family members who solicited local businesses for food donations, will also be holding Halloween parties at different Chicago area foster homes and women’s shelters including Rice Child and Family Center in Evanston, Hephzibah Group Home in Oak Park, and Lazarus House in St. Charles.
Foster children in Kankakee County where Chung grew up will also be receiving costumes.
Donna Bauer, with St. Charles’ Lazarus House, the emergency shelter, transitional living and outreach prevention program provider, said that while other groups have sponsored parties for children at Lazarus House in the past, this will be the first time the children will be given costumes.
Now she said the children will have costumes to wear to school and trick or treating on Halloween.
“I always have had a soft spot for foster children,” Chung said. “I also like Halloween and was interested in doing something to help children in need.”
Participating nonprofits sent Chung lists of the ages and sizes of the children in need of costumes.
From the list she will match up the costumes she has collected through donations obtained through her website and from friends and family.
Up until now the majority of the donors have been friends, friends of friends, and coworkers, but by utilizing social media an elementary school in the northern suburbs heard of Chung’s endeavor and is taking up a collection of its students’ former Halloween costumes.
In cases where there isn’t a match, which is especially true with older children and larger sizes, Chung will use money raised through the organization’s online donation site to purchase costumes. Some of the money raised will also be used to purchase essential items such as diapers that the shelters need.
Halloween costumes already collected have been categorized by size and gender, logged into a spreadsheet, and are accumulating in boxes that have almost reached the ceiling of Chung’s home office.
“Right now we are a mom and pop shop,” she said.
After Halloween, Chung hopes the donated costumes can be returned to her so that she can redistribute them to needy children the following Halloween.
Chung said she hopes to obtain a storage unit, either at low cost or donated for the costumes.
She also is seeking a public place to serve as a drop-off point for costumes and candy donations.
Cathy Janek is a freelance writer for The Beacon-News
Lend a hand
For more information on the Halloween costume collection, go to:
https://www.facebook.com/DonationsforDressUp?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
