Ever wondered about what to do with the bags of sweets your children amass during their Trick or Treating adventures? A wonderful way to channel the spirit of Halloween this season could be by donating the extra candies to a worthy cause.

Treats for Troops

Operated by Soldier’s Angels, this initiative encourages you to send treats to military personnel. Besides brightening a service member’s day, children can earn buyback prizes, and donors receive a tax-deductible receipt.

Halloween Candy Buy Back

Partnering with local businesses such as dental clinics, Halloween Candy Buy Back offers an exchange program where kids can swap excess candy for healthful items like toothbrushes, hygiene kits, and coupons. To locate a participating buyback location, use their zip code search tool.

Operation Shoebox

This charitable effort willingly accepts your extra Halloween candies, distributing them during Halloween, Christmas, and Easter to troops who are away from home, irrespective of their location. Candy donations can be mailed to Operation Shoebox | 8360 East Highway 25, Belleview, FL 34420.

Ronald McDonald House Charities

Contact your local chapter to learn about their rules for accepting unopened Halloween candies. The joy of the holiday season will certainly be amplified for critically ill children and their families when they receive these sweet treats.

Additional places to consider when looking for suitable venues to donate your leftover Halloween candies might be local food pantries, homeless shelters, or nursing homes. But don’t forget to reserve some treats for yourself — you’ve earned it!