Fieldnotes: Blogging on UNICEF's child survival work in the field

At this year’s annual Key Club International Convention in Denver, Colorado, our four new ambassadors dressed up in Halloween costumes that mirrored the characters on the new Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box.

© US Fund for UNICEF / 2008 / Sheldon

Pictured here are Abigail, Lance, Anna and Jared, who promoted Key Club’s participation in the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign and the Swazi Children Care Project—a program that helps Swaziland’s children who have been impacted by HIV and AIDS. In addition to creating a costume buzz, Key Clubbers created cards and messages to send to the children of Swaziland, which will be sent later this summer.

Over 1400 Key Club members were in attendance at the four-day long convention, where they not only learned about UNICEF and other partners, but also elected a new president, vice president and leadership board. Stay tuned for more Key Club updates, and let us know what you think of the new box!

Sifting though the archives we came across some old Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF boxes. Many of us here have fond memories of carrying one of these little orange boxes on Halloween. They've inspired a bit of internal debate about which is on is "the best" Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box.

Can you help us decide?

Vote for your favorite Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Box today. And feel free to use the comments to share your fondest memories and stories of Halloweens past.

Today is April 1. Here at UNICEF, that means preparations for our annual Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF program are kicking into high gear

While we’re busy working with donors to find ways to send millions of dollars to children in need around the world, The New Yorker decided to make a joke of our Trick-or-Treat program. I’m sure some of you have read the piece by Simon Rich, a former president of the Harvard Lampoon. His Shouts & Murmurs satire is a play about his third grade perception of UNICEF. To be honest, it’s really not a flattering image of UNICEF.

Rich’s satire portrays UNICEF as a ‘greedy’ ‘evil king of Halloween.’ And there’s more… he suggests that kids are better off keeping the money they collect trick-or-treating for UNICEF… and claims UNICEF funds “the Russians so they could build a bomb.” Oh, come on!

Don’t get me wrong. My UNICEF colleagues around the world and I have a sense of humor, especially on April Fool’s Day. Calling UNICEF the ‘evil king of Halloween’ made a few of us smirk, just a little. But, when a writer in such a well-respected publication implies that UNICEF doesn’t use its donor’s money efficiently, I need to take a stand.

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF has received the highest rating from charity navigator and BBB wise giving; two of the toughest charity watchdogs around.

Now, speaking of third graders, I bet Mr. Rich doesn’t know that last week, UNICEF announced that six million kids are going back to school in Afghanistan! This is possible because of UNICEF and our friends and donors and Trick-or-Treaters. UNICEF sent funds and supplies to build schools, train teachers, and provide school supplies to eager kids who dream about gong to school and getting an education.

I’d like to introduce the New Yorker to a third grader in Afghanistan – in school for the first time because of UNICEF’s work. I’m confident that if we ask for her image of UNICEF, we’d hear a very different answer.

- Christine Squires