Where To Donate Halloween Candy? Try MV's 'Guys Giv'n Back' & OHH

MISSION VIJEO, CA — Have you ever wondered what to do with all of your extra Halloween candy? A Mission Viejo mom and non-profit business owner can help you out with that.

Christy Wrightson, owner of Guys Giving Back, works with area dentist offices, schools, national charity league chapters and more to collect your unwanted candy and create gifts for Marines and Marine Corps families this holiday season.

"There's just so much candy," Wrightston said. "After Halloween, there's only so much candy that parents want their kids to consume. We gather candy from across Orange County and use it for our 'Operation Rack Packs' and other uses throughout the holiday season."

Operation Rack Packs are gifts given to single Marines who return to barracks after being stationed over seas, often with nothing but what they have in their duffel bags.

"We make candy bags along with other toiletries, gift cards and fill the fridge with Pepsi products for the soldiers returning home," Wrightston said. "And that is just a part of what we do."

Working with a larger group, Operation Help A Hero, a mass coordination will begin after the Halloween holiday, with individuals or larger groups to gather candy and then turn them into gift bags for Thanksgiving or Christmas Marine Corps family packages to sweeten dinners and gift giving, or save full size bars for the Rack Packs. This, just one of the many projects that Guys Giv'n Back does. Wendy Ruiz, the group's current president and Operation Rack Pack coordinator, will coordinate volunteers (be sure to find out how you can help, below).

"People can set up donation drop offs under Operation Help A Hero, or we will come to you," she said. Wrightston has often been sighted driving up to a local school, loading up her SUV with huge amounts of candy. "We appreciate all donations for our projects, and can pick up pick up all across Orange County."

Once the candy is in house, it is distributed between project coordinators. "Four or five coordinators host the different candy wrapping projects, filling bags, as many as they can make," she said. "Guys Giving Back takes the candy and makes the bags, as we already need 600 by November."

Not just candy, the group also seeks relationships with area businesses who wish to donate items, gift cards and more for the heroes upon their return from overseas, but the first step every year is the candy donation just after Halloween.

Wrightson began Guys Giving Back when her oldest son was in 7th grade. He is now 21-years-old. Her youngest son is 16, and when he graduates, Guys Giving Back will move on to the next pair of helping hands.

"I have 130 kids, all high school aged, who help every year with this project," she said. "When my 16-year-old graduates, I'll be passing Guys Giving Back along to the next candy mom."

With Guys Giving Back, a non-profit organization, 100-percent goes back to the troops. Every penny is used in donations.

"After Halloween, we get awesome candy, sometimes we even get full sized candy bars," she said. "Schools advertise, and its incredible how much we get donated."

Wrightson suspects that some people purchase full sized candy bars to donate when it goes on sale the day after Halloween, as they rarely get the stinkers of the Halloween candy haul.

"We are giving this to Marines, we want to give them good candy, anything gross we throw away," she said. "Full sized bars are saved for the Rack Pack projects."

When the Marines come home it is often in the middle of the night after hours or even days of travel. The Rack Packs ensure that each Marine's barracks are personalized and ready. All are coordinated by Cindy Farnum, the primary heart behind Operation Help A Hero. In May of 2017, Operation Rack Pack for over 700 Marines and Sailors with 2/5 (and attachments), at Camp Pendleton, the website stated.

Operation Help A Hero began right before 9-11, helping kids write letters to Marines stationed overseas. After 9-11, the organization blossomed into assisting military families in different ways, according to Wrightson.

For more information, or to learn how to donate, email: christywrightson5@gmail.com or visit: www.operationhelpahero.com

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