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This Halloween, the residents of Meadowbrook Circle and Meadowbrook Road once again opened their neighborhood to families from Sudbury and beyond for our annual Accessible Trick-or-Treat. We welcomed a record number of children and families this year, and I want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who made the evening possible.
Accessible Trick-or-Treat is open to everyone but was designed with children with disabilities in mind. With treat tables at the ends of driveways and both candy and non-food treats available, children can enjoy Halloween without some of the barriers that come with traditional trick-or-treating.
What I wish every neighbor and volunteer could hear are the stories families shared afterward.
One family brought their child, who has Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) and was nervous about participating because Halloween usually revolves around candy.
“Once our child realized there were toys at every table, everything changed. Watching him go up to each table and actually enjoy trick-or-treating was wonderful. He hasn’t stopped talking about coming back next year!”
“Once our child realized there were toys at every table, everything changed. Watching him go up to each table and actually enjoy trick-or-treating was wonderful. He hasn’t stopped talking about coming back next year!”
Another mother shared that after visiting about ten tables, her seven-year-old, who has food allergies, exclaimed, “Mom! I can get something at EVERY table! I don’t have to skip any!” She told us she had tears in her eyes.
A family whose child has physical disabilities shared that, for four years now, this event has allowed their child to fully participate in Halloween. Parents of younger children also appreciated being able to navigate the neighborhood with strollers, without having to carry children up steps.
One parent described the evening simply:
“It’s just magic. You don’t see this much kindness and patience in one place very often. And to see it on Halloween makes it even more special.”
But perhaps the reflection that stayed with me most was from a parent who shared:
“When you have a child with a disability, sometimes you see the barriers before you even try something. You start to accept that certain experiences just aren’t going to work for your family, and there’s a sadness that comes with that. This event gave both of us more confidence to try new things. We left Meadowbrook with my child giggling in the back seat, already talking about next Halloween. I drove home thinking maybe there’s more out there for us than I’d imagined.”
To the residents of Meadowbrook Circle and Meadowbrook Road, thank you for decorating your homes, dressing in costumes, and spending your Halloween outside welcoming children and handing out candy and toys. To the volunteers who staffed tables, patiently helped children choose treats, and made everyone feel welcome, thank you. And to our generous sponsors, thank you for helping make this special tradition possible.
I hope everyone who helped knows what those few hours meant to the families who attended. A child who was nervous about trick-or-treating is already asking to come back. Another discovered they didn’t have to skip a single table. And a parent drove home smiling with their child in their back seat, patiently waiting to count how many treats they received.
That’s what your kindness made possible.
Thank you, Meadowbrook Circle and Meadowbrook Road. We can’t wait for next year!
I am writing this as an individual member of the Commission on Disability. These thoughts are my own.