The air is positively buzzing with Halloween excitement. Doorsteps are decorated with jack o’lanterns, as trick-or-treaters plan their path to your front door in search of sweet treats. That is, except for the 400,000 Canadian children and youth who live with accessibility issues that make everyday activities, such as trick-or-treating, a daunting task. Kids with accessibility issues can be discouraged at the prospect of being left at the curb – literally, as their siblings and friends easily maneuver up staircases, through narrow pathways and past crowded front entrances.
In 2018, RE/MAX helped introduce the Accessible Trick or Treating program, a movement that aims to make Halloween accessible for all by removing barriers. When a homeowner puts the Accessible Trick or Treating sign on their front lawn, they are pledging to make their property accessible by handing out treats from the garage or the foot of the driveway.
The Accessible Trick-or-Treating program was piloted in Ontario last year and saw incredible success, with more than 2,000 signs distributed by RE/MAX agents across their local communities. The program garnered thousands of social media mentions and millions of media impressions on prime news channels, such as CTV and CBC. Because of this, we’re bringing the program back – and it’s bigger and better.
In 2019, RE/MAX has expanded the Accessible Trick or Treating program across Canada, and we’ve committed to printing more than 20,000 signs. Treat Accessibly, along with RE/MAX, has also partnered with The Home Depot Canada as the official distribution point for the signs. Starting on October 20, these signs will be available for FREE at all 160 Home Depot Canada locations (excluding Quebec).
Get your free sign, post it on your front lawn in the days leading up to Halloween, and help make this a day that everybody can enjoy.
