Duing Halloween night in 2004, Westford’s Adam Pearson and Merritt Friedman sat on their porch and provided candy to trick-or-treaters. However, they noticed that a number of children did not have costumes and a non-profit group was born.
Today, the Pumpkin Patch, created by Pearson and Friedman in 2006, collects new and used Halloween costumes for Merrimack Valley children from low-income families.
They average about 1,500 costumes per year, but have seen a downturn since peaking at 2,000 costumes in 2011.
“The economic downturn had a significant impact and we have seen more and more people in need as the price of costumes has continued to rise,” said Merritt. “It is these children that are most in need of a day to dress up and be someone else. That is truly the magic that is Halloween.”
This year, they hope to provide as many costumes as possible in their annual costume giveaway event on Sunday, Oct. 18 at the UMass-Lowell Inn and Conference Center.
The event takes place from 12 to 3 p.m.
More information is available at www.fromthepumpkinpatch.org.
UPDATE: It was initially conveyed to WestfordCAT that 2,000 costumes were given in 2011, but we have learned that this was a miscommunication and that 2,000 costumes were given away a single day in 2011, not during the entire year.
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