COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – B.J. Rottinghaus is a finance major at Texas A&M. But long before coming to College Station, he set his sights on a very different kind of investment.
As a high schooler, he founded “Y’alloween”, a nonprofit dedicated to giving costumes to children living in crisis.
“We try to identify homeless shelters or domestic violence shelters where families are separated from their homes… and we want to bring them a sense of normalcy through Halloween, through Y’alloween,” said Rottinghaus.
For Rottinghaus, the effort is deeply personal.
“Ever since I was a kid, trick-or-treating has been my favorite thing to do. Just going out in costume is always so fun, and I want to make sure everyone has that experience,” said Rottinghaus.
What started with donations to a single Houston shelter has grown into a multi-city operation.
This year, Y’alloween is partnering with nine nonprofits across Houston, Austin, and the Brazos Valley.
“This year we’re on track to give a little over 500 costumes across three cities. It was so amazing to see these kids; they love it so much, and they’re going to cherish that memory for so long,” said Rottinghaus.
And with more people interested every year, this Aggie hopes to deliver plenty more treats for Halloweens to come.
“Ideally, it would expand all the way across the U.S. We’ve had great partners reach out over the last couple of years; if we were able to continue expanding, we’d be able to help so many people,” said Rottinghaus.
To learn more about Y’alloween, or to donate, click the link here.
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