Founders of Treat Accessibly The Padulo Family: Make Halloween Accessible for EveryBODY
REMAX NOVA Helps Make Halloween Accessible for EveryBODY
How one small act of kindness grew into a national movement, and how Halifax became one of its proudest milestones.
What started on one family’s driveway has grown into a coast-to-coast movement changing Halloween forever.
In 2017, our daughter Siena, then 6 years old, while putting pumpkins on our stairs asked a simple question about a boy using a wheelchair in our neighbourhood:
“How does he trick-or-treat at our home when we have stairs to the door?”
That moment changed everything. That night, we made a homemade lawn sign that read “Accessible Trick-or-Treating.” We set up our treats at the bottom of the driveway so every child, no matter their mobility, neurological or sensory needs, could share the joy of Halloween.
That small act of empathy became the spark for Treat Accessibly, a grassroots movement now embraced by hundreds of thousands of Canadian homes.
From One Home to Over 250,000 Across Canada
Thanks to the incredible support of REMAX Canada, more than 250,000 lawn signs have been distributed to homeowners nationwide who want to make their homes inclusive and welcoming for children with disabilities.
Today, Treat Accessibly supports kids with mobility, sensory, and neurological disabilities where they live, making sure every child can experience the magic of Halloween night, safely and joyfully, with their neighbours.
Over 28% of Canadians identify as having a disability, and 1 in 10 family homes includes a child with a disability. That means more than 6 million Canadians, and nearly 1 million kids, are directly touched by this movement and the kindness of neighbours who choose to join it.
A Record-Breaking Year in Halifax
In 2025, Treat Accessibly hosted nine Halloween Villages across Canada, bringing together over 25,000 kids and parents, with and without disabilities, for unforgettable, inclusive celebrations.
One of the brightest highlights came right here in Halifax, where the Treat Accessibly Halloween Village on Edward Arab Avenue drew an incredible 2,400 guests on September 28.
This record-breaking success was made possible by the passionate support of REMAX Nova, whose team helped Treat Accessibly find and recruit local homeowners to open their hearts, and their driveways, to families across the city.
The Halifax Village was even featured by Paul Brothers on Global News, capturing national attention for the joy, laughter, and inclusion that filled the street that day. For many families, it was the first and only time their children could experience house-to-house trick-or-treating just like everyone else.
How REMAX NOVA Is Making Inclusion the New Tradition
REMAX NOVA continues to champion inclusion by helping spread awareness, distributing free Treat Accessibly lawn signs, and empowering homeowners across Nova Scotia to make Halloween accessible for everyBODY.
Because any home, including yours, can be a Treat Accessibly home (get our How To Tips here). All it takes is placing a free lawn sign and setting up your treats at the front of your driveway or sidewalk. That simple gesture can mean the world to a nearby family raising a child with a disability.
You can pick up your free Treat Accessibly lawn sign at REMAX NOVA or any participating Pet Valu Family of Stores, while supplies last.
A Year of National Recognition
In 2025, Treat Accessibly was proudly recognized in the House of Commons, and six Canadian capital cities proclaimed October 16 as Treat Accessibly Preparation Day, a day to ready our homes and hearts for inclusive celebrations.
Halifax was the first city in Canada to make this proclamation, leading the nation in compassion and accessibility.
Looking Ahead: Halloween 2026
Next Halloween falls on a Saturday night, and Treat Accessibly is inviting Canadians everywhere to start trick-or-treating one hour before sunset, to make it even more welcoming for kids with sensory or mobility challenges.
Together, we can keep growing this movement, one sign, one home, one smile at a time. Watch the dad of the girl that started it all share the movement and what it means to Canada.
Happy Halloween EveryBODY!
Thank you, REMAX NOVA, for helping make sure all children, of all abilities, can enjoy the magic of Halloween.
With love, gratitude and hope
The Padulo Family
Founders of Treat Accessibly
For More information on Treat accessibly visit their website! Click Here
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Click here to print your own treat accessibly lawn signs!
