How some Canadian families are making trick-or-treat more accessible
This Halloween, the Hamilton family will join others in serving trick-or-treaters in an effort to make the experience more accessible.
It’s part of a growing movement called treat accessibility.
Mercedes Palermo, who lives in the Central Mountain area of Hamilton, says she’s a “huge supporter” of the movement, which promotes ways to make Halloween accessible to people who have disabilities or are neurodivergent.
It’s personal for Palermo, whose six-year-old daughter Camila is autistic. Palermo says not all autistic children have difficulty with Halloween, but Camila is easily overwhelmed by new things and some sensory challenges prevent her from enjoying candy.
Participants feast outside on the ground level
Promotes accessible behavior Accessibility TipsThat includes providing barrier-free access by placing gifts in the driveway, garage, or the trunk of your vehicle to prevent people from climbing stairs. Other recommendations include offering non-food treat options for those who cannot eat candy, and avoiding the use of bright lights and sudden sounds.
These types of obstacles “make something that should be so enjoyable for everyone,” Palermo said.
Palermo, who works as a registered nurse, also manages a social media page called Autism Out Loud, where she shares tips and experiences about parenting a neurodivergent child.
She recommends that people “drop any expectations that homeowners have for trick-or-treaters,” such as making sure they say “trick or treat” or are wearing costumes.
“Let people enjoy the night.”
Families gathered Saturday in Surrey’s Newton neighborhood for Treat Accessibility, a barrier-free trick-or-treating village for children of all abilities. Parents and homeowners who participate say it makes a big difference for kids to be able to participate in a Halloween tradition.
To advertise that his family would be offering an accessible trick-or-treating experience, the Palermos put up a Treat Accessibility sign on their lawn at the beginning of the month.
The signs come from the Treat Accessibility organization, started in 2017 in nearby Oakville, Ontario. It was when founder Rich Padullo and his daughter Sienna were decorating their home for Halloween. Sienna saw a boy in a wheelchair across the street and asked how he could maneuver into their house if he couldn’t climb the stairs to their door.
“That night, we made a plan,” Padullo told CBC Hamilton. He put up a sign announcing that his house would be accessible to trick-or-treaters, and on Halloween the following week, handed out candy from the base of his driveway.
The sign attracted a lot of attention in the family’s neighborhood, and people asked for signs of their own. Padulos also met the family of a disabled man who had traveled four kilometers specifically because they saw the sign. That memory, Padullo said, “is still in my heart.”
Now, the family-led organization is on track to reach 300,000 signs distributed by the end of this Halloween, Padullo said.
Treat Accessibility was recently shouted out in the House of Commons by Bruce Fanjoy, MP for Carlton, saying, “Treat Accessibility is a reminder that inclusion is not a barrier but an opportunity.”
The organization works with businesses who finance the programming through their marketing budgets. For example, 700 Pet Values stores distribute its signs, and this year, Treat Accessibility has partnered with candy maker Kinder.
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In 2021, the organization hosted its first “Village” in Toronto, an accessible trick-or-treating block party. The following year, Treat Accessiblely hosted villages in nine cities, including Hamilton.
The trend continues, with Padullo, Sienna and his wife Natasha traveling to different communities to get involved. Padullo always appears in the costume of billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne, who secretly fights crime as Batman.
“We have a lot of sweets and inedible treats, and the Mayor makes frequent appearances. So, who else could do this besides Bruce Wayne?” Padullo said.
This year’s Village locations include Surrey, BC, St. Albert, Alta, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.
Hamilton’s Halloween Village took place this year on Cartier Crescent on the afternoon of 5 October. Palermo says the villages are “remarkable” and that many people took to the streets. “It’s really touching when you see it.”
It’s a fun take on Halloween that her daughter can more reliably enjoy because it takes place during the day, and it’s more predictable for her than Halloween night, Palermo said.
Palermo said, as the movement has become more well-known in her neighborhood, she has seen other neighbors practicing Treat Accessibility’s suggestions.
“Being able to enjoy holidays and things like Halloween without feeling criticized or pressured as a kid, it really means everything.”
