Mary Emma Allison (March 5, 1917 – October 27, 2010) was an American school librarian who co-created

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is a fund-raising program for children sponsored by the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Started on Halloween 1950 as a local event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, the program historically involves the distribution ...

in 1950. Her three children were the initial participants in the fund raising effort, which by the time of her death had brought in $160 million to be used for the benefit of needy children around the world.

Early life and career

Born Mary Emma Woodruff in 1917, she earned her undergraduate degree at Wheaton College. After working as a school teacher, she majored in library science for her master's degree and was employed as a librarian in a Chicago school.Fox, Margalit
"Mary Emma Allison, Who Inspired Charitable Ghouls, Dies at 93"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', October 29, 2010. Accessed October 30, 2010. While living with her family in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

, she and her husband Clyde Allison, a Presbyterian minister, collected clothing and items for the

Church World Service Church World Service (CWS) was founded in 1946 and is a cooperative ministry of 37 Christian denominations and communions, providing sustainable self-help, development, disaster relief, and refugee assistance around the world. The CWS mission is ...

to be distributed in Europe as humanitarian aid for refugees in the aftermath of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

.Bennett, Kitty
"Trick or Treat for UNICEF: Allison family began the Halloween charity drive 60 years ago"
''

AARP Bulletin AARP (formerly called the American Association of Retired Persons) is an interest group in the United States focusing on issues affecting those over the age of fifty. The organization said it had more than 38 million members in 2018. The magazin ...

'', October 29, 2010. Accessed October 30, 2010.

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF

As the post-WWII collections effort was winding down, Allison attended a children's costume parade in late 1949 and followed the children and a cow into

Wanamaker's John Wanamaker Department Store was one of the first department stores in the United States. Founded by John Wanamaker in Philadelphia, it was influential in the development of the retail industry including as the first store to use price tags. ...

department store in Center City, Philadelphia. While in the store she saw a booth raising funds for

UNICEF UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to ...

. Together with her husband, Allison conceived of a program in which children would collect funds for UNICEF as part of their Halloween

trick-or-treating Trick-or-treating is a traditional Halloween custom for children and adults in some countries. During the evening of Halloween, on October 31, people in costumes travel from house to house, asking for treats with the phrase "trick or treat". The ...

. Her husband publicized the program in a magazine he edited that went to Sunday school teachers before Halloween 1950 suggesting that children collect money in empty milk cartons to help raise money to pay for powdered milk to be sent overseas and their children collected $17 that first year.Staff
"Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF celebrates 60 years of 'kids helping kids'; 'A Halloween Story: The Trial of Sergeant Bill'"

, October 29, 2010. Accessed October 30, 2010. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF took over the program on a formal basis starting in 1953, with children collecting money door-to-door in orange boxes designed for that purpose. By the time of Allison's death, the program had raised $160 million to benefit children in need.

Death

A resident of

Lowell, Indiana Lowell is a town in West Creek and Cedar Creek townships, Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 9,276 at the 2010 census. History Lowell was platted in 1853. It was named after Lowell, Massachusetts. The James Brannon Hou ...

, Allison died at her home there, aged 93, on October 27, 2010, days before the 60th anniversary of the fundraising program. She was survived by a son, two daughters, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allison, Maryemma 1917 births 2010 deaths American activists American librarians American women librarians UNICEF people People from Lowell, Indiana Wheaton College (Illinois) alumni 20th-century American women educators