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CNN Sunday Morning

Interview With Susan Power

Aired October 28, 2001 - 08:45   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Not all of the children who are going to be out at Halloween will be filling their bags with candy. Some of them will be trick or treating for UNICEF. That's a 50-year- old program that is taking on new significance in the wake of the war on terrorism.

The director of the Trick or Treat for UNICEF Program is Susan Power; she's in our New York bureau this morning.

Good morning to you, Susan.

SUSAN POWER, DIRECTOR, TRICK OR TREAT FOR UNICEF: Good morning. How are you this morning?

SAVIDGE: I'm fine, thanks. You know, I remember doing this -- I hate to say this -- when I was a kid, which was a while ago. But it has taken on new meaning for children, especially at this time. Is that right?

POWER: Yes, that's absolutely right. And Trick or Treat for UNICEF has been in the United States for 51 years this October. And really, at this particular time it's very critical because it's empowering our children to make a difference in the lives of kids in Afghanistan.

And I think President Bush came out and requested that all children in the United States help the children of Afghanistan, and Trick or Treat for UNICEF is responding to that call and giving kids the opportunity to take this great tradition that you remember and make it available to raise funds for the children of Afghanistan.

SAVIDGE: You know, children very much want to be a part of anything they can do to help. I know that because I was talking at a school last week, and they had already been involved in fund-raising efforts. How do children focus on this particular event and know that they're going to be helping? Specifically, who gets help?

POWER: Well, in this particular case, all the funds we raise this year through Trick or Treat for UNICEF will go directly to UNICEF programs in and around Afghanistan. So UNICEF is a very trusted organization here and around the world. People have been participating in Trick or Treat for UNICEF for many, many years.

We have a lot of schools and groups and organizations that support the program each year and will continue to do so. So we're now providing that opportunity to raise these funds at Halloween, and all of the funds will help the children in the Afghan region.

SAVIDGE: How much do you hope to raise, and how much money actually goes directly to the Afghan women and children?

POWER: Actually, 100 percent of the money that comes is through Trick or Treat for UNICEF will go directly to UNICEF programs. I'm sure you're fully aware that we have about a month and a half now to get the critically needed supplied into Afghanistan and to the refugee camps on the border. So all of the money that is raised through Trick or Treat for UNICEF will go directly to help the children there.

SAVIDGE: And what will you buy, specifically?

POWER: A number of things. Obviously blankets, winter clothing, food, educational supplies in the refugee camps. A lot of the products that are purchased are actually bought locally. Our president, Chip Lyons, of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, is currently in Tajikistan and supervising programs where we're buying winter jackets and blankets and warm boots for children right in that region. So we're also supporting local economies.

SAVIDGE: All right. Well, if I'm a parent and I have children getting ready to go out, how do I get involved? Is it too late? And what do you do, and where do you send the money?

POWER: Well, it's never too late to trick or treat for UNICEF. We actually have schools and groups that do it year-round. But you can just go to a Pier 1 Imports store, or Sears Portrait Studios, or IKEA, or a number of participating supermarkets nationwide to pick up a box.

If you're into having a creative Halloween, you can also go and just download the box artwork from our Web site, which is unicefusa.org, and make your own box. Actually, more and more people are seeing Halloween as an opportunity to be creative, and that's one way, to just go and make your own box.

SAVIDGE: Once you've collected the money, what do you do with it then?

POWER: One of the most wonderful things about technology -- I just talked about the Web site -- but the other technology is the Coinstar machines at local supermarkets. The big green coin counting machine -- you can just go to a Coinstar machine and deposit your change in the machine. It counts it for you, gives you a tax deductible receipt, and all of that money goes directly to UNICEF.

SAVIDGE: Safety is always a concern at Halloween, but I think it's even more so now, with the advent of what's going on. It could help to make it safer for children? Explain.

POWER: Well, I really think safety has always been a key concern for everybody. And it's very, very important that parents participate in trick or treating. If you are going to trick or treat door to door, ensure that there's an adult with you, travel in groups, wear masks that you can see through. Obviously, you want to be very careful this year in checking the candy to make sure that all of the candy you receive is wrapped. Make sure that an adult checks that with you. Safety is a primary concern.

But also there are alternatives. A number of people have decided not to go door-to-door trick or treating. And then -- you know, take your kids to the supermarket. It's a fun activity to pour all your household change into that Coinstar machine. And that could be a trick or treat activity in and of itself.

SAVIDGE: Susan Power is the director of Trick or Treat for UNICEF. I have fond memories of being in that program. Children can create new memories this time around.

Thanks very much for being with us this morning.

POWER: Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

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