Trick or treaters around Kentucky were sorely disappointed by the weather last night. It was cold, windy, and rainy; it eventually snowed in the wee hours of the morning. People were complaining about having tons of candy and no trick or treaters. My sweet friend is the Executive Director for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass; she reminded me that Ronald McDonald House happily accepts candy donations.

Are you trying to figure out why they need candy? Parents and families of very sick children are staying there, often days and weeks at a time. Little costs add up quickly. Drinks and snacks are much more expensive when they aren’t purchased in bulk. A major advantage to staying in a Ronald McDonald House is the availability of meals and snacks for free. It is one less burden for a family to bare. These snacks are available in the house and in the Children’s hospital for parents when they need them.

Here are a few guidelines:

• The hospital and house require all the candy/snacks to be commercially made, pre-packaged, and of course, unopened. 

You can drop it off to:

Ronald McDonald House of the Bluegrass- 1300 Sports Center Drive, Lexington Kentucky, or drop it off to a Ronald McDonald House in your area.

You could also gather candy over the next week from friends and family, and just make one group donation. It is a great way to dispose of the candy that you don’t need or want your own children to have, or if you find Halloween candy on clearance and want to pick up a bag or two. It might seem like a small donation, but it all adds up. Candy/snack donations allow the program to focus on the many other needs of patients and caregivers.