October's Child is an Austin, Texas 501(c)(3) founded in 2016 by the locally-known Fairy Godfather of Halloween, who turned a lifelong love of the holiday into a year-round costume thrifting and redistribution operation. Throughout the year, volunteers source costumes from estate sales, thrift stores, and direct donations, building inventory that's stored, organized, and prepared for a single annual giveaway event each September. The free giveaway distributes more than 2,000 costumes to kids and adults across the Austin area. Recipients of all ages can browse and pick what they want at no cost. The program has been featured in the Washington Post and other media coverage of Halloween charitable efforts. October's Child does not publish a permanent street address; the September event location and current donation drop-off arrangements are announced on octoberschild.com. Both monetary and in-kind donations help fund the year-round inventory work.
October's Child runs a seasonal collection, typically Sep. Seasonal programs usually stop accepting donations once they have distributed for the year, so items that arrive outside that window are often turned away or held until the next cycle. Confirm this year's dates before you drop off or ship.
No. October's Child collects collection event and serves Austin area. If you are outside that area, look for a program closer to you, or use one of the 7 programs in this directory that accept mail-in donations from anywhere.
October's Child is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations to registered charities are generally tax deductible if you itemize, and the organization can issue a receipt. Ask them directly for their EIN and a written acknowledgement if you plan to claim the donation on your taxes.
This listing is marked Verified Org and was last reviewed on March 30, 2026. That means we confirmed the organization exists and operates, using public records and its own published material, but we have not re-confirmed this season with them directly. Programs change hours, addresses, and intake windows without notice, so check their own site before you travel or ship.