June 1st, 2006

Filed under:
Canada, The Long View
12 Comments »

Why Are They Phasing Out UNICEF Boxes?

In case you haven’t heard, they’re phasing out UNICEF boxes. I’m not sure if this program existed elsewhere, but this was the idea: kids went around on Halloween night with orange UNICEF boxes around their necks. In addition to soliciting candy as they trick-or-treated, they also collected change for less fortunate kids in the developing world.

What are the reasons for eliminating the program?

But it has gotten harder for schools to deal with counting and handling the loose change in the Trick-or-Treat campaigns that raised up to $3 million annually, she said. “It was cumbersome and difficult to deal with the coin collection and the heavy boxes coming back in,” she said.

And parents have been voicing safety concerns although there haven’t really been problems of older bullies ripping off youngsters, Strang adds.

I know I sound like a tin-hat wearer, but there must be more to this story:

  • Surely there are alternative methods of counting and rolling the coins. Banks and credit unions would jump at the chance to help. Free positive publicity at near-zero cost doesn’t come along very often.
  • Surely coin counting technology has improved dramatically over the next fifty years. UNICEF could, I don’t know, deliver a coin counter and a volunteer to each sizable school district, and collect and count the money that way.
  • Crime has been in decline for the last couple of decades. It was more dangerous for me to wander around suburban West Vancouver than it is for my young nephews. And, of course, thanks to inflation, the average kid’s take is worth less than it used to be.

In short, I don’t think we’re hearing the whole story. If it’s no longer viable to collect the $3 million, then UNICEF Canada should just say so. The excuses they’re trotting out sound pretty dubious to me.

Comments: 12 Responses so far

James
June 1st, 2006
3:30 pm

I agree - “its too hard to count the money” is the worst excuse I’ve ever heard. Perhaps they think it will make them appear more trustworthy as a charity if they stick to the more reliable means of donation.

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Andrea
June 1st, 2006
8:15 pm

They can’t say the real reasons, Darren. It would sound terrible.

“Fourth graders are stealing the boxes from unaccompanied second graders.”

“Sixth graders collect money, but never hand it in. They tell the teacher they forgot to take the box or that they really only managed to get $2.04 because they got there after all the other kids had gone by.”

“Kindergarten students and their parents do the ‘one for UNICEF, two for us’ routine.”

“When third graders reach a house where the home owners say they can either have a coin or a chocolate bar, they opt for the chocolate.”

“Second graders can no longer tote a UNICEF box very far, since toonies weight so much.”

“Eighth graders shoot Roman candles at sixth graders until they hand over the boxes.”

At least, that’s how it was when I was growing up. Perhaps we finally hit the tipping point. (Note: I was pleasantly surprised when I moved to Vancouver and things weren’t so, um, scary, on Halloween.)

Also, the cost of shipping full boxes back to the regional office is exhorbitant, especially since no one gives paper money.

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Anne
June 2nd, 2006
4:42 am

I can’t believe that reason either. Our school (Bowen Island Community School - 230 students) consistently collected around $1000 for Unicef. As a school we consistently supported this cause through the Halloween collection. Yes, coin collecting and counting is work, but it’s something the kids can be involved in and a volunteer opportunity for parents to work with the students, sorting, rolling, picking out foreign coins, and finally tallying and proudly announcing the total. A very concrete way for kids to be involved in helping.

We’ll have to look for another way to get the kids involved in helping other kids in the world. Any ideas?

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Jason
June 2nd, 2006
5:32 am

According to the CBC, the program is only being cancelled in Canada; it will continue in the US:

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/05/30/unicef-boxes.html

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Augie De Blieck Jr.
June 2nd, 2006
6:03 am

There’s a chain of banks here in the States that’s trying to be the “Wal Mart of Banks.” You tend to pass by one as frequently as you do a Dunkin Donuts or a Starbucks. Each has a coin counting machine that’s free and I don’t think you even need to have an account at the bank to use it. They’d be perfect to help count the UNICEF change.

That said, while I can remember walking around with one of those boxes as a kid, I haven’t seen a kid with one in years and years.

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Richard
June 2nd, 2006
7:23 am

Hey Andrea, where the hell did you go to school???

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Andrea
June 2nd, 2006
10:11 am

A not so great pocket of Nanaimo.

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Anthony
June 2nd, 2006
2:56 pm

Another thing from my childhood which has gone the way of the Dodo. I agree we will never hear the real reason. I guess charities only really care about collecting donations through some more modern means.

Why can’t young people contribute to the well being of others in the world.

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daisy
June 2nd, 2006
3:58 pm

Damn!…what the heck am I going to do with all of the coins that I collect throughout the year? I actually made a conscious decision to collect all coinage so that I could fill Unicef boxes at Halloween. Arrgghhh!!

Hey, I think that Stephen Harper’s government should legislate that all kids between the age of 5 and 8 must collect coins for Unicef during the week of June 18th (’cause the weather is usually nice then), since I am totally out for my own self interests…However, due to the party’s early inclinations to fade from public discussion, any debate about childhood labour ain’t soon in the offing. (Ok, so I am a little happy on the ‘bubbly’ and an ardent non-conservative, both of which taint my view on any conservative…stupid-head policy…so sue me)

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Air
June 3rd, 2006
11:44 am

I think partnering with a casino would be a good idea. They have great big fast coin counters and well trained staff to handle the coins. And it would be a nice way for casino’s to give back to the community at large.

Another option would be in-class donations, similar to the poppy fund program operating now at all Canadian schools. This would be safer for the kids, and more easily regulated by the adults at the school.

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richgold
June 5th, 2006
7:50 am

If coin sorting was an issue, pay the $19.99 for the Ronco-coin-sorter-matic that they advertise on the paid-for programing a couple of years back.

That being said though, I think Andrea’s comments are more to the mark. (especially considering that I had adults well into their 40s coming around to my house last year trick or treating for candy.)

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nasim
August 26th, 2007
6:32 pm

i dont like the idea that there will be no more unicef boxes. i loved seeing kids use them. can you send me a template so i could print one?

Thank You.

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