Trick-or-treating came early to Dixwell, thanks to members of a black police organization.
The New Haven Guardians group handed out 200 bags filled with candy, pop tarts, juice, and granola bars at the Monterey Homes community building on Ashmun Street late Wednesday afternoon and early evening.
Most of the kids who showed up wore street clothes. But Guardians like Officer Shafiq Abdussabur, pictured in a skeleton costume, got into the spirit of Halloween two days early.
Their goal? To provide a safe environment for kids and parents to enjoy the holiday.
Monique Ancion is worried about taking her two young children out trick or treating on Friday night.
“It’s safer in the daylight,” Ancion, 23, said. “On Halloween people don’t always give out the nicest stuff. Half the people don’t even have candy, but they leave their lights on. It’s just upsetting for the kids.”
Ancion, a photographer, is pictured with her sister Sheila Keen, friend Nadine Crimley, and children Kaila, 19 months, and Brenden, 4.
“We are hosting a safe night for kids because we don’t want them to go out on Halloween,” said Guardians President Steve McMorris (pictured at the top of this story).“We don’t want parents to worry about whether or not there is something unsafe in the candy.”
“Halloween is getting too dangerous,” said Darlene Fuller, mother of two. “It’s not the same anymore.”
Shamon Antrum, 25, runs Camp Antrum, a free after-school program for kids in kindergarten through eighth grade. He brought the children who are enrolled in his program to the event.
“This event is great,” Antrum said. “Just another way to give back to the kids.”
“We host a number of events every year in the community,” said Abdussabur, one of the Guardians’ original organizers. “We want to encourage greater interaction between kids, their parents, and the police.”