Each Halloween, kids come home from trick-or-treating with sacks of candy that weigh almost more than they do. And often it seems like the candy bowl at your front door will never run out, either. Rather than packing Halloween sweets in your child’s lunch for the next six months, trade them in at our candy trade-in that HealthPartners hosts to collect and donate candy to troops.
We’ve hosted this candy trade-in each year since 2012. It’s put on by our PowerUp program, which works to make it easier for families to eat better and move more. And you’ll find that it’s a win-win-win that gets everyone smiling. Here’s how the trade-in works:
PowerUp will donate candy to troops serving overseas and local military members who are in between their active tours of duty.
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In exchange for their Halloween candy donation, your child will get a fun PowerUp prize.
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You – the parent – will feel good knowing you’re helping your family avoid cavities and sugar crashes.
There are 31 HealthPartners and community locations in Minnesota and western Wisconsin where you can donate candy to troops.
Candy can be traded in during regular business hours on Thursday, Nov. 1 and Friday, Nov. 2 at these locations:
- Our 20 HealthPartners Dental Clinics in the Twin Cities and Central Minnesota
- Our four Three Rivers Orthodontic Clinics in Anoka, Champlin, Elk River and Stillwater
- Amery Hospital & Clinic*
- Amery Area Public Library*
- Hudson Hospital & Clinic*
- Stillwater Medical Group Stillwater Clinic*
- Stillwater Medical Group Mahtomedi Clinic*
- Stillwater Medical Group Somerset Clinic*
- Westfields Hospital & Clinic*
At all of these spots, kids will have the chance to write notes to thank members of our U.S. Armed Forces. Their letters will then be sent to troops as part of care packs that are filled with donated candy, toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Help us make this the biggest Halloween candy trade-in yet.
In 2017, the community traded in more than 2,000 pounds of their leftover Halloween sweets to donate candy to troops. Let’s set a new record in Minnesota and western Wisconsin this year.