Potterville, Michigan, 16-year-old Neia Handy has been helping families celebrate Halloween since 2020 by giving away free costumes to children across mid-Michigan. Each year, she collects, buys, and accepts donated costumes, storing them in her basement until her annual giveaway event. This year’s event took place on Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church in Lansing, where the teen distributed more than 600 costumes ranging from infant to adult sizes.
Handy says she shops year-round for discounted costumes at stores like Meijer, Target, and Walmart, and also finds items at garage sales or through donations. Her collection includes a wide variety of costumes, including princesses, superheroes, animals, and video game characters. She says that many of the families are deeply grateful and her favorite moments are seeing the excitement on children’s faces when they find their perfect costume.
While Handy manages much of the work herself, she acknowledges the many people who help donate and organize costumes each year. She says she’s proud of how her project has grown and plans to continue the “Lansing Costume Giveaway for Kids” next year for its seventh annual event. She also hosts a post-Halloween costume collection drive to help support her mission.
Source: WLNS
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