A Toronto designer is working to make trick-or-treating more inclusive for kids living with a disability this Halloween.
The Treat Accessibly campaign started back in 2017 when co-creator Rich Padulo was putting up Halloween decorations on his Toronto home.
“A little boy who was using a wheelchair was coming down the street, I locked eyes with him as he saw me putting out pumpkins,” Padulo said.
“I knew immediately he couldn’t trick-or-treat at my home because of the stairs. It hit me like a ton of bricks.”
Padulo said the next day he spoke with co-creator Pat Lore and designed the Treat Accessibly sign.
“The sign was on my lawn in 2017 a few days before Halloween and five families with accessibility issues came by. All of them hugged me and tears were shed.”
Rich Padulo is seen here standing with his family behind the Treat Accessibly sign which he co-created. (Supplied)
The campaign, which has since partnered with Re/Max, The Home Depot and the Stop Gap Foundation, ballooned to over 2,500 homes displaying the sign in 2018.
This year 25,000 homes across Canada are expected to participate.
“Stores are running out,” Padulo said, referring to the free signs that participants can pick up at their nearest Home Depot or print off at the Treat Accessibly website.
Treat Accessibly signs are seen here at this Home Depot location in Toronto. (CTV News Toronto/Nick Dixon)
How do you take part in the campaign? Padulo says it’s simple as taking your home’s stairs out of the trick-or-treating experience and moving your candy station to the end of your driveway.
“If you can do that, you can definitely be part of the program.”
On Sunday, Padulo set up a Treat Accessibly demonstration in his own driveway for neighbours to test out.
Maria Solis, whose five-year-old son Camilo lives with cerebral palsy, said the initiative is "amazing".
“Even just having people set themselves at the top of their driveway, it says we’re a community and we want everyone to come and access our candies, and celebrate together.”
Camilo, 5, is seen here collecting his candy at a demonstration of the Treat Accessibly campaign. (CTV News Toronto/Nick Dixon)
Looking to the future, Padulo said he has plans to expand the program even further in the years to come.
“Our goal next year is to be in Quebec with French signage. And I would love to bring it down to the U.S. It’s something that needs to be shared,” Padulo said.
“We’re showing and not telling our children how to be aware of other people’s needs and create change.”
“Something like this, we hacked Halloween to bring the community together.” Padulo added.
