Pumpkins are going blue and teal this Halloween.
Having the ability to gobble down any type of candy without hesitation or yell with joy “trick or treat!” is something that can be taken for granted.
Kids with food allergies or youngsters on the autism spectrum who are nonverbal can miss out on much of the fun most are able to fully enjoy.
But blue and teal pumpkins aim to remedy what should be a right of passage for all kids on Halloween, whether they are verbal or nonverbal, allergic or not allergic to foods.
Blue pumpkins — which are a separate initiative from the Teal Pumpkin Project — aim to raise awareness for kids on the autism spectrum who may be nonverbal and therefore unable to say “trick or treat!” at the doorstep.
A New Jersey advocacy group is helping with the cause.
Taleana Williams-Hurst, president and CEO of the Plainfield-based WallynZavy’s Autistic Kids Can Do Inc., has been working to get the word out about the blue pumpkin initiative, which has been making the rounds on social media.
“It was always a challenge for us,” said Williams-Hurst, who has one son on the autism spectrum and another with special needs.
She said blue pumpkins let trick or treaters know that the home is special-needs friendly.
“That way, they don’t feel uncomfortable,” she said.
The blue pumpkin (or blue bucket) initiative reportedly took off on social media after a Facebook post by Omairis Taylor, a mother who lives in Hawaii with her 3-year-old son who has autism. In her post, she said she wanted to get the “blue bucket message out there.” Last Halloween she and her son, who is nonverbal, went door to door, and people kept waiting for him to say “trick or treat” to get a piece of candy.
The night went on like that, street after street.
“This year we will be trying the BLUE BUCKET to signify he has autism," she wrote. “Please allow him(or anyone with a BLUE BUCKET) to enjoy this day and don’t worry I’ll still say TRICK OR TREAT for him.”
One in 59 kids in the U.S. is on the autism spectrum. And 1 in 34 kids in New Jersey on the spectrum, the highest in the country.
And then there’s the Teal Pumpkin Project, in which teal pumpkins aim to raise awareness about kids with food allergies, as many often miss out on the experience of dumping out a trick-or-treat bag and eating candy without the fear of suffering a severe allergic reaction.
A junior at Bridgewater-Raritan High School is helping lead the Teal Pumpkin Project, a campaign also making its way around social media, according to a report by TapInto.net Bridgewater. The project aims to raise awareness about kids with various food allergies.
The Teal Pumpkin Project is associated with a national campaign by FARE (Food Awareness Research Education).
Placing a teal pumpkin on your doorstep signals that you have non-food treats, like glow sticks or small toys, according to FARE’s website.
“This simple act promotes inclusion for trick-or-treaters with food allergies or other conditions,” the website said.
People can also add their homes to the Teal Pumpkin Project Map.
For more information on Williams-Hurst’s organization, you can visit wallynzavys.org.
Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips