The Heartwarming Way Leftover Halloween Candy Is Bringing Joy to Soldiers Overseas
Leftover Halloween candy becomes a lesson in kindness—and comfort for troops far from home
When teacher Heidi Hawley’s son joined the Air Force, her students found a new mission—turning leftover Halloween candy into care packages for troops overseas! Here, she shares her story with Woman’s World.
On November 1st, as the last of the Halloween decorations came down at Myers Elementary in Grand Blanc, Michigan, brightly wrapped donation boxes began appearing in first- and second-grade classrooms.
“Here’s mine!” a little girl announced, pouring her bag of leftover candy into the box.
“Will Dominic get some of this?” a first grader asked his teacher, Heidi Hawley.
“He sure will,” Heidi smiled. After all, her son Dominic was the inspiration for her new project: Treats for Troops.
In 2021, when Dominic enlisted in the Air Force and was sent to Qatar, Heidi felt an urge to support him and his fellow service members. She reached out to local organizations, including Desert Angels, a group that sends care packages filled with small comforts to troops stationed far from home.
At school, she told her students about Dominic’s service and taught them about patriotism and honoring our military. Then she had an idea.
“Halloween is coming up, and you’ll get lots of candy. Would any of you like to donate your extra to our troops?”
“You bet!” the kids cheered.
By Veterans Day, the first and second graders had collected, sorted and packed 400 bags of candy. Each bag included a handwritten note of thanks.
There was so much candy, I couldn’t believe it, Dominic wrote back after receiving the students’ gift in early December. I put on a Santa hat and handed it out all across the base!
The next Halloween, the entire school rallied behind Treats for Troops. “My grandpa is in the military,” one student announced as he poured his donation into the box. “I’m donating all my candy. It makes me happy to give it to someone who needs it more.”
Teachers and parents joined in with leftovers from their trick-or-treat bowls.
Thank you for our freedom, one student wrote in a letter to send with more Treats for Troops gift bags.
How hot is it where you are? inquired another, and the troops began writing back.
It’s little things like candy we miss the most, replied a soldier in Kuwait. It tastes like home!
Heidi passed the pages around in class, and every time they heard from a different country, she unrolled a map to show the students how far their gifts had traveled.
Last November, the school collected enough to fill 1,000 Treats for Troops gift bags, and this fall, they’re hoping to break their own record.
“I love helping our troops,” says Heidi. “But even more, I love teaching my kids that tiny hands can really make a big difference!”
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