Lincoln woman creating Halloween happiness for kids in need

Karissa Howard knows what it’s like to need help providing for her children.

After having her twins at a young age, she often had to turn to family members or nonprofits during holidays to make sure her kids didn’t have to lose out on the experiences many other children could afford. 

Now she’s at a place where she’s able to provide all of that on her own, and wants to pay it forward to other families in Lincoln who are in a position she knows all too well.

“I want to give back and kids mean a lot to me. Just to see a kid happy that they have a good Halloween costume, and it’s also to take the stress off of parents,” said Karissa.

That’s how Halloween Happiness came to be.

On September 28, Karissa began putting the word out for either monetary or physical donations of Halloween costumes for kids in Lincoln whose family may not be able to afford one. 

So far, she’s received 56 costumes and about $200 in monetary donations.  

However, more than 150 families have reached out asking for help, and that’s why Karissa is turning to the Lincoln community as a whole.

There are five drop off locations set up around Lincoln:

Schmick’s Market at 1340 West O St.

Schmick’s Market at 2727 N. 11th St.

Country Inn & Suites at 5353 N. 27th St.

J.L. Aesthetics & Day Spa at 5600 S. 48th St.

GrannyWeavs Soul Food & Catering at 621 N. 48th St. (Costume donations get you 10% off your order)

You can also make monetary donations for Karissa to purchase pumpkin pails and costumes on the GoFundMe page linked here, or the Facebook fundraiser page linked here. 

On October 21, families can bring their children to pick out a costume at the Woodmenlife Fraternal Chapter Lodge, located off N. 70th & N. Cotner Blvd.  They’ll also receive a glow stick and trick or treating pumpkin pail.

Then, on Halloween, kids can come back to have their Halloween makeup done and get ready to hit the town for trick or treating. 

Any leftover money from this fundraiser will be used in the spring to put together Easter baskets for families who can not provide them.