For a kid with a life-threatening medical condition, Halloween can come with a lot of fine print.
Uneven sidewalks, long walks between houses, chilly night air, and crowds all make traditional trick-or-treating tough on families who already have plenty to manage. Texans Credit Union has spent 11 years working on a fix.
This year, employees at the credit union’s Richardson headquarters welcomed more than 100 families from HopeKids North Texas for the 11th annual HopeKids Trick-or-Treat celebration. The whole building became a Halloween destination, kept indoors so health and mobility needs didn’t have to get in the way of the fun.
Think of it as a haunted house with the scary parts swapped out for comfort and candy. Employee volunteers organized and ran everything, from the decorations to the activities. Here’s what families found when they walked in:
- Themed trick-or-treat stations
- Festive decorations throughout the space
- Games for kids to play
- Photo opportunities to capture the costumes
The volunteers aren’t doing this out of obligation. “Our employees look forward to this celebration every year and put so much heart into making it special for these families,” said Jenni Short, Chief People Officer at Texans Credit Union. “We’re grateful to work alongside HopeKids to create an evening where children can show off their costumes, fill their candy bags, and simply enjoy being kids.”
The numbers show how far the tradition has come. Since it began more than a decade ago, the event has welcomed around 1,500 children and families.
The celebration is one piece of Texans Gives Back, the credit union’s ongoing community initiative, which combines employee volunteerism, charitable giving, and nonprofit partnerships to support local communities.
With the event now well into its second decade, keep an eye out for how Texans Gives Back continues to grow, and for what the volunteers dream up when the next Halloween rolls around.