Center for the Performing Arts Candy Wrapper Collection Off to a ‘Sweet’ Start

The Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State is collecting candy wrappers during its 2013–2014 season to benefit the charity Covenant House.

A program called the Candy Wrapper Brigade pays cash for each wrapper collected. The Center for the Performing Arts aims to provide 100 homeless, runaway or at-risk children with a year’s worth of school supplies to pursue their studies.

“So far this season the center, with participation from individuals, churches and schools in Centre and surrounding counties, has collected over 6,000 wrappers. We would like everyone to keep our goal in mind this Halloween,” says Shannon Bishop, a member of the Center for the Performing Arts Green Team.

This is the third year the Center for the Performing Arts has collected candy wrappers. In 2011–2012, more than 6,400 wrappers were redeemed to provide clean drinking water for a year to 43 people in developing countries. Last season, 415 meals were provided to Americans in need with a collection of more than 10,000 wrappers. The Candy Wrapper Brigade program is sponsored by TerraCycle, an organization that promotes recycling. Click HERE To learn more.

Each year millions of candy wrappers are needlessly thrown away, and most end up in landfills. TerraCycle partners with Mars, Wrigley and Cadbury to create a second life for candy packaging, but all brands of wrappers and candy bags are accepted for the recycling program.

Patrons attending events at Eisenhower Auditorium, on the corner of Shortlidge and Eisenhower roads at University Park, may place used candy wrappers in lobby collection boxes. Eligible waste — from auditorium concession sales or from home or office use — includes individual candy wrappers, large candy bags and multi-pack candy bags.

Candy wrappers and bags may also be dropped off at Eisenhower during regular business hours, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or at the Penn State Downtown Theatre Center (146 S. Allen St., State College), weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Penn State employees may send candy wrappers and bags via campus mail to Pam Aikey, Eisenhower Auditorium, or Shannon Bishop, Penn State Downtown Theatre Center.