The Scariest Thing Some Kids Face...

...Isn’t Halloween… It’s Hunger

Even on the scariest nights, hope can shine brighter than fear...if we help the one!

Halloween is usually a night of costumes, candy, laughter, and pretending to be scared. Haunted houses, spooky stories, glowing pumpkins on porches—we enjoy a little fright because we know it isn’t real. We can take the mask off, step into a warm home, and grab something to eat.

But for some children, the “scary” doesn’t end on October 31st.

Because the fear they face is real.
And it comes back every day.

It’s the fear of not knowing if there will be food at home tonight.
Or if lunch at school will be their only meal until tomorrow.
Or if asking for help will make them feel ashamed.

The Silent Fear No One Sees

Hunger doesn’t wear a mask.
It doesn’t look like a movie monster.
Most of the time, you can’t see it at all.

Kids who face food insecurity often learn to hide it well.
They laugh with friends… while quietly counting how many bites they have left.
They say they’re “not hungry”… because they don’t want anyone to feel sad for them.
They ration snacks… because they don’t know when more is coming.

No child should ever have to feel that way.

And yet—right here in our own communities—many do.

What If We Saw Hunger the Way We See Halloween Scares?

When something startles us on Halloween, we react fast.
We comfort each other.
We laugh and say, “You’re okay, I’m here.”
We reach out.

But hunger is a fear that many children face alone.

What if we responded to hunger the same way?
What if, instead of pretending it wasn’t there, we noticed it…
…talked about it…
…and did something, even something small, to make sure a child didn’t go to bed afraid of being hungry?

Because Hope Is Stronger Than Fear

Here’s the part that matters most:

Hunger is real.
But so is hope.
And hope wins—when we show up for “the one.”

No one person can end hunger everywhere.
But anyone can end hunger for someone.

A snack given quietly…
A meal donated without recognition…
A simple pledge to help feed students who need it the most…

These are the unscary, ordinary, beautiful actions that drive hunger away.

If You Want to Do Something This Halloween…

Yes, enjoy the candy, the costumes, the fun.
Laugh. Make memories. Let your kids dress up and be silly.

But maybe this Halloween, take one moment to pause and ask:

“Who can I help feed?”

It might be a neighbor’s child.
A student at your local school.
A family you’ll never meet—but whose lives will be changed because you cared.

Hope doesn’t require a big gesture.
It starts with one small act of love.

And just like a single candle can light up the dark,
one act of kindness can chase away the fear of hunger for a child.

Want to Replace Fear with Hope for a Child?
You can make a difference with one simple act of kindness.

→ Help the One