BRAZOS COUNTY, TEXAS (KRHD) — Halloween is supposed to be a night of fun—spooky, candy-filled, and full of joy. But for some families, the rising cost of costumes can take the fun out of the holiday.
That's why Texas A&M student BJ Rottinghaus launched Y'alloween, a local nonprofit that donates free Halloween costumes to children in need.
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"We were just kind of doing some research," Rottinghaus said. "We're able to look, see how much more expensive it costs to be gotten."
Two days ago, Rottinghaus was able to see some kids who actually received costumes.
"He like ripped it open right in front of me and it was like immediately so happy," Rottinghaus said. "I thought I was gonna cry. It was so amazing."
Rottinghaus partners with local groups like Family Promise of Bryan-College Station and Twin City Mission to get costumes directly to shelters and family-service centers.
"Many of our clients don't have extra money for anything, right, or they wouldn't be with us," said Lindsey Smart from Twin City Mission. "So you can imagine Halloween costumes are even lower than that in terms of priorities."
Studies show that due to tariffs, children's costumes could cost $5 to $10 more this year—and adult costumes could jump by $10 to $30.
But for Rottinghaus, it's about more than money. He says Halloween builds community—and every child deserves to be part of that.
"I just hope that they're able to have an amazing Halloween like I did when I was a kid. That's really the gist of it is I want everyone to have this experience, not just some people," Rottinghaus said.
Rottinghaus says he hopes to expand Y'alloween across the state so no child ever has to miss out on dressing up.
To donate to the Y'alloween organization, click here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
