A Halloween Challenge to Scare your Inner-Scrooge and Cheer your Inner-Crachet

I apologize for mixing metaphors in the title, but it seemed appropriate for the challenge I'm about to issue.

People usually either love Halloween, or they hate it.  Those in between usually like nothing about it except handing stuff out to the cute kids, or buying candy on sale Nov. 1 at Walmart.  Whichever category you fall into, this challenge is for you.
The key to this Halloween Challenge is to remember one thing:  Most kids want candy; All kids need food.

So the challenge is:  FIRST: To all you folks buying candy - either to hand out, or on sale - keep track of how much you are spending on candy.  Then take the same amount you spent on your candy, and buy the equivalent in foodstuffs for your local food bank.  SECOND: For those of you who hand out candy, keep some cans handy to hand out to trick-or-canners, in addition to what you've bought for the food bank yourself.  THIRD: slightly unrelated to food, but if you want to make your treats to kids enjoyable for longer than the 10 seconds it takes them to chew it, consider making baggies that include a chocolate bar, and shiny halloween penicl or a cool halloween eraser (I used to be very proud of getting those as a kid myself) and maybe even a colourful-looking pack of dental floss.  Be creative!

The foodbank needs your support to feed people in your community.  Remember that hunger is usually invisible.  It's really easy to give - if you can't make it to the foodbank to drop things off yourself, your grocery store will usually have a bin at the back for donations.  Here is a list of some foods in high demand at most foodbanks, and some other things that might make your donation unique:

-Rice   -Flour   -Canned vegetables   -Peanut Butter   -Honey   -Canned soups or broths    -Noodles    -Pasta Sauce   -Jam   -Canned Fruits   -Canned Meats / Fish   -Powdered Milk   -Baby Formula   -Fruit Juices 

So let's make this Halloween one with an impact.  Please participate in this challenge, and even let me know how it goes!  I will definitly let you all in on the weight of my house's after Halloween. 

And remember - Most kids want candy; All kids need food.