Dinah has been a passionate charity supporter, active in fundraising and public outreach since xxxx.
Dinah Richter Spritzer discovered that YES is the resounding answer to all of the above.
A tale of two Halloweens
Back in 2017, when Dinah’s twin sons were 5, she wanted them to have their first trick-or-treating experience.
But Dinah lived in Prague, Czech Republic, not the USA. She he didn’t want to impose a foreign holiday – American or Irish – on her neighbors. Czechs had previously complained to Dinah about how foreign imports Santa and Valentine’s Day were contaminating their culture. There was a clandestine trick-or-treating event each year where the so-called rich Americans lived in Prague. But going to a far-away neighborhood so Dinah’s kids could beg for candy seemed in poor taste, despite the desperate allure of Twix, Snickers and M&Ms. Thus intercultural Halloween was born along with Europe’s largest Halloween charity event.
Give us a coin, we will give you the world
Dinah began lobbying school parents in her own neighborhood to open their doors to trick or treaters. In return, Dinah guaranteed that each trick or treater would get candy and contribute a 10kc coin at each trick or treat stop. The money would go towards SOS Children’s Villages, which supports children in the Czech Republic who are without parents, or shows parents could not take care of them. Czech families wanted to get involved; they wanted to sample Halloween and liked that the imported celebration was contributing to something special. SOS provides social worker counselling, psychological therapy, lunch money, museum visits, summer camps and perhaps best of all, homes for siblings so they are not separated when living with foster families.
#Sweetsthatsave
Eight years ago when Trick-or-Treat for Charity began, the Halloween event attracted a few hundred people and a handful of homes to visit in Prague. Dinah proudly raised 14,000 Czech crowns for charity. In 2024 Trick-or-Treat for Charity brought 6,000 people on the streets to donate at more than 99 trick or treat stops. Dozens of local businesses gained positive publicity and new customers by participating in the event. There was a haunted house, free martial arts lessons for costumed kiddies and a park full of dancing pandas. The event raised 263,800 Czech crowns for SOS, and will expand again in 2025.
“To co-operate with Dinah means to discover one’s potential and follow your projects through. Her enthusiasm and commitment is passed on to everybody in reach and, for a good cause, she is able to find partners from various areas and interconnect them so that they reach the common goal with minimum efforts and maximum results.”
You can read all about Trick-or-Treat in the media:
Sweet charity! Prague trick-or-treat event scares up community spirit and
Charity event turns Halloween from US import into intercultural success
Get in touch to learn more about intercultural fundraising and how to sponsor children in need!
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