Creating a Haunted House for Charity

A haunted house is always an exciting activity to get into the Halloween spirit. Besides being a thrill, it can also be a fairly easy way to raise money for those in need. All you need is some space and a spooky imagination, and you can easily build a haunted house for charity.

Find a Location

First and foremost, you need to decide what charity you’re raising funds for. Since you’re involvingyour community, picking a local organization you love is a huge draw to get more visitors to your event. Once you’ve decided on a charity, the next step is to find a location. A public recreation center with an open meeting room is a great place to start, or you can reach out to private businesses that might have an open space they’re willing to loan out for charity.

You don’t need to have a large space to make this a successful event, though. Even your own garage can be transformed into a spooky haunted house that will grab trick-or-treaters’ attention on Halloween. As families pass through your neighborhood, invite them to check out your haunted garage and ask for a suggested donation as an entry fee.

Make a Plan

With a space reserved, you can start to map out what your haunted house will look like. First, you’ll want to come up with a theme or design. Are you going super scary or something a little tamer that kids can enjoy as well? You can also consider creating it around a popular scary movie or just going a traditional spooks-and-thrills route.

There are many different ways to approach themes and decor, but if you start out with building a simple maze-style path through your space with a clear entrance and exit, you can easily build everything else on that foundation. Utilize black lights to light up the path, and set up a wireless speaker to pump in some scary sounds.

Recycle, Reuse, Rescare

Since you’re building your haunted house for charity, you probably don’t want to invest a ton of money putting it together in order to still have a sizable donation at the end. You can build a budget- and eco-friendly haunted house by asking friends and neighbors to donate Halloween decorationsthey already have. You’ll be creating less waste when your event is over, while saving money on having to buy all new things.

There are other ways recycling can help in making a haunted house, as well. Cardboard boxes, old sheets, and even wooden pallets can be repurposed into maze walls. Visit thrift shops for more fun finds that can be used depending on the theme of your haunted house.

Get the Word Out

If you build it, you need people to come, so make sure you advertise your haunted house. Create flyers to pass out in your neighborhood and at schools, or post info in your community recreation center and in local online groups. Make sure you mention the charitable organization you’re raising money for and what they do.

A haunted house can be a really fun way to raise money for those in need, but keep in mind that it’s a big project and you will need help. Ask friends and neighbors or a community group you’re involved with to help you plan and execute your event. It’s sure to be a memorable Halloween for everyone.

Have you ever built a haunted house? Share your experiences and pictures with us on Twitter.

Image sources: Pixabay | Flickr | Pixabay

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