'Tis better to give than to get cavities

The Homeboy lobby was suddenly full of pirates, vampires, and ladybugs. A bumblebee plopped down on the floor of the development office and started to read a book. The clown almost cried, comforted by a milky way.

Tattoo removal greeted an alien, the bakery handed cookies to a chubby viking, and the mental health department led a procession of small bodies throughout the building, inexplicably singing.

Okay, it wasn't a regular day at Homeboy- it was Halloween!

Baby & Me class is an important piece of the community here, and it's hard to overstate how much an hour a week can mean to our families. The class is often a home of "firsts;" the first time a mom learns about the importance of "tummy time," the first time a father is out of jail for his childrens' Halloween.

For one father who grew up in an abusive home, last week was the first time he had ever carved a pumpkin.



Trick or treating around the building put big smiles on the little ones, but Baby & Me is also about the "me"-- for our homies, a chance to participate in a childhood tradition that so many of them missed out on was just as magical. To give to the ladybugs, vampires and clowns was the best kind of treat.