Halloween Candy Buy Back
Kids across America choose to share their Halloween candy with our troops, and you can help it get there. Collect it the first two weeks of November. Ship it or drop it off by December 31.
A bag of candy. A note from a kid. A taste of home.
Every November, kids across America make a choice: they give some of their hard-earned Halloween candy to the troops. Thousands of dental offices, schools, churches, scout troops, businesses and families collect it and send it to Troopathon. Our volunteers pack it into care packages for service members deployed far from home.
The candy is the treat. The note from a kid is what they keep. Troops read those notes again and again, and many tape them up where they sleep.
How it works
Three steps. No sorting, no weighing, no paperwork.
Collect it
Unopened Halloween candy, straight from the kids' bags. Gather it from your patients, students, members or neighbors.
Pack it
A box, a bag, an envelope: whatever works for you. Tuck in a note with your name, organization, email and phone so we can thank you.
Ship it or drop it off
Send it to the right Troopathon location below. We suggest the first two weeks of November, and we accept candy through December 31.
Your group decides how to thank the kids: $1 a pound, stickers, prizes or a simple thank-you. That part is all yours.
What to send
✓ Yes, please
- Unopened Halloween candy and treats, full-size or fun-size
- Chocolate. A bar that melts and hardens back up still makes a troop's day.
- Notes, cards and drawings from the kids
- Toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss (dental offices, this one's for you)
✗ Please don't send
- Opened candy
- Homemade treats or baked goods
- Anything that isn't candy, treats, notes or hygiene items, unless you check with us first
Where to send it
The rule is simple: anything not on a pallet comes to our Operation Center. Pallets go to our Warehouse.
Sacramento, CA 95827
Yuba City, CA 95991
Michael Nichols, (530) 632-3597, [email protected]
All you have to do is get it to us. We aren't able to pick up candy, but once it arrives, we take it from there. Many groups ask a local business, Rotary club, VFW or American Legion post to help sponsor their shipping.
Who does what
| Your group | Troopathon |
|---|---|
| Collects the candy | Receives it at the Operation Center or Warehouse |
| Decides how to thank the kids | Sorts and weighs every pound with our volunteers |
| Packs it, then ships it or drops it off | Packs it into care packages for deployed troops |
| Puts contact info and kids' notes in the box | Sends you our official after-action report so you can see the impact you made |
Make it bigger
Collect notes from the kids
A drawing or a two-line thank-you goes straight into a care package. Troops tape them up and read them again and again.
Add hygiene items
Toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss are always needed. See what goes in a Troopathon care package.
Hold a collection day
Invite your local news and a nearby military recruiter or veteran group. Your team with the candy makes a great community story.
Share your photos
Send us team photos and video messages for the troops, and tag @Troopathon with #HCBB. See how to share them.
Your collection toolkit
Everything you need to get the word out. Click any design to open your own free copy in Canva, add your name, dates and address, then print or post it.
Pick a flyer
Ready-made social posts
Canva is free to use. Don't have an account? You can sign up in a minute, or email [email protected] and we'll help.
Show us your team
Tag @Troopathon and use #HCBB on Facebook, Instagram and X so we can share and thank you. Or email them to [email protected]. We love to see:
- Photos of your team, your candy and your collection day
- News stories or articles about your collection
- A short video message to the troops from your team or the kids
See what you made possible
Every year, HCBB participants send about 30,000 pounds of Halloween candy to our troops. See the photos and the impact in our official after-action report.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Halloween Candy Buy Back?
A national program where kids donate their Halloween candy at participating locations, and that candy is sent to Troopathon for military care packages. Troopathon has been the official national charity partner since 2018.
Do I have to register?
No, but please do. Registering takes two minutes and it's how we know to thank you and send you our official after-action report. Register now.
Do we have to sort or weigh the candy?
No. Send it straight from the kids' bags. Our volunteers sort and weigh every pound.
What kind of candy can we send?
Unopened Halloween candy and treats, full-size or fun-size. Please don't send opened candy or homemade treats.
Can we send chocolate?
Yes. Chocolate is a favorite. A melted bar that hardens back up is still a taste of home.
Does Troopathon pay for the candy or the shipping?
No. Each participating group decides how to thank the kids and covers its own shipping or drops off in person. Troopathon covers everything after it arrives: sorting, packing and shipping the care packages to our troops.
Can you pick up our candy?
We aren't able to offer pickups. Please drop off at our Operation Center in Sacramento, or ship to the location that fits your shipment.
Where do I send it?
Anything not on a pallet goes to our Operation Center in Sacramento. Pallets go to our Warehouse in Yuba City. Full addresses are in Where to send it above.
When is the deadline?
We suggest collecting the first two weeks of November and shipping soon after. We accept candy through December 31.
Is there a limit?
No limit. If it fills a pallet, send it to the Warehouse.
How will we know it arrived?
Put your name, organization, email and phone inside the box. We'll thank you and send you our official after-action report.
Can we use your logo on our flyer?
Yes. Download our logos and flyers in Your collection toolkit.
Can we send something besides candy?
Yes. Notes from the kids, toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss are always welcome. See what goes in a care package for other items.
There's no participating location near me. Can I still help?
Yes. Collect candy with your family, neighbors or office and ship it straight to us. Anyone can take part.
Is Troopathon a 501(c)(3)?
Yes. Troopathon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 84-1627277, supporting our troops since 2004.
Thank you for standing with our troops
Questions? Call (916) 441-6197 or email [email protected]
REGISTER NOW