Trick-or-Treat, Toronto: The UNICEF Box Takes Over a Toronto House

Toronto, Ontario, October 28, 2026 – For generations of young Canadians, Halloween wasn't just about costumes and candy. It was also about carrying a small orange UNICEF box from door to door. 

This Halloween, that iconic box is back, and it's bigger than ever. 

To inspire support for children worldwide, UNICEF Canada has transformed a Toronto home into the CARE HARD, Scare Hard House a larger-than-life recreation of the vintage UNICEF Halloween box that helped teach generations of Canadians that even small acts of generosity can make a big difference. 

The CARE HARD, Scare Hard House reimagines one of Canada's most beloved Halloween traditions, connecting it to UNICEF Canada's CARE HARD movement, which aims to inspire 100,000 Canadians to take action for children by the end of 2026. Located at 4 Glenlake Avenue in Toronto’s west end, the CARE HARD, Scare Hard House will give Torontonians the opportunity to experience a beloved Canadian tradition between October 27-31, reimagined for a new era. 
 
"For decades, the UNICEF box showed Canadians that even the smallest act of generosity could have an impact," said Sevaun Palvetzian, President and CEO of UNICEF Canada. "The CARE HARD, Scare Hard House brings that spirit into the present day. At a time when children's needs are growing around the world, it's a reminder that caring remains one of the most powerful forces for change." 
 

The CARE HARD, Scare Hard House reflects a belief shared by many Canadians: that helping children matters. More than 200 million children worldwide require humanitarian assistance yet aid for children is under growing pressure. New UNICEF Canada polling found that 82 per cent of Canadians believe Canada should do at least as much as other countries to reduce hunger, disease and poverty for children in the world's poorest countries, while 65 per cent say they feel proud when Canada helps children in need around the world. 

For decades, the UNICEF Halloween box was a familiar sight on Canadian doorsteps. Children carried it through their neighbourhoods, collecting change to support UNICEF’s work for children worldwide. While the boxes eventually disappeared, the idea behind them endured: that anyone can help change a child’s future. 

Nostalgia doesn’t stop at the house. A limited-edition UNICEF Halloween box costume will appear throughout the campaign, with media personalities, influencers and community partners helping bring this iconic symbol of generosity to life for a new generation. 

Canadians can experience the CARE HARD, Scare Hard House in Toronto from October 27 to 31, make a donation or take action for children in another way. Through Care Hard, UNICEF Canada is inviting 100,000 Canadians to turn compassion into action by the end of 2026.  

The way we give may have changed, but the spirit behind the UNICEF box remains the same: small acts, multiplied across a country, can create lasting change for children.