Awareness Events in October

October, a firmly fall month. Breezes, sweaters, hot cocoa, spiced wine, and of course, pumpkin spice on repeat. As folks people settle back into the school routine, they’re also gearing up for the holidays, which are right around the corner —not to mention that October concludes with the widely celebrated Halloween. Additionally, there are many medical and safety-related awareness days throughout the month of October ripe for getting involved. Of course, it’s never too early to begin thinking about holiday gifts for employees and customers —something that promotional products are great for! In this piece we share a ton of awareness events held throughout October. Read through to find the perfect event for your brand’s involvement.

Awareness Days in October

Here are a few big days, from on a national and international scale, to join in on and celebrate in October.

• Halloween –Halloween A date that needs almost no introduction. Held annually on October 31, it’s a night for ghouls, tricks, and treats. It’s a fun holiday for all ages, because, come on, who doesn’t like costumes and candy? Halloween is also a great night to get out and socialize in your community —something local businesses can take advantage of. Consider handing out promotional items to trick or treaters as a way to not only join in on the fun, but to get your brand out there. Another idea is to join in as to be a vendor at a local Halloween bash.
• Halloween Safety Month —Halloween Safety Month is the lead up to Halloween as a way to remind people to take extra precautions on Halloween night. With folks adults, and especially kids, being outside later into the night than usual, there are often more pedestrian accidents than other nights of the year. This safety campaign aims to make individuals aware of this tragic potential danger, and plan accordingly, such as by wearing bright colors and walking in large groups, as if possible.
• National Boss Day—Almost always celebrated on October 16, (unless it falls on a weekend), National Boss Day is an opportunity for employees to show appreciation to their bosses for their kindness and fairness throughout the year. It is often celebrated with a card and sometimes a small token of appreciation, such as like a mug, balloon, or something related to the job or person’s interests. A promotional product is a great token of appreciation for management staff, and can be given by the company, on behalf of employees.
• World Teachers Day—Held annually on October 5, World Teachers Day celebrates the educators of the world. It began in 1994 and commemorates the signing of the 1966 UNESCO/ILORecommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. This is a great opportunity for your brand to get involved, especially if your brand is related to education or kids children. Even if not, there are still plenty of opportunities to get involved —after all, education is one of the foundations for any striving society —consider hosting an event for local schoolteachers or professors, or holding a training for employees with a ‘back to school’ theme.
• World Food Day—Held World Food Day is held annually on October 16, as a way is a day to commemorate the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. Each year has a different theme:

• 2016: Climate is changing. Food and Agriculture must too.”
• 2017: Change the future of migration. Invest in food security and rural development.
• 2018: Our actions are our future
• 2019: Healthy Diets for a #ZeroHunger World

If you’d like to get your brand involved, consider hosting a community event complete with healthy, sustainable food vendors. It could be family oriented, with a puppet show based on the theme, and games for kids to get involved. Reusable water bottles and straws would make excellent promotional giveaways for attendees.

Medical Awareness Days and Events in October

October has many medical awareness days that may be appropriate for your brand to promote, particularly if you are in a health, wellness, or medical-related field, such as a hospital or pharmaceutical company. Here is a list of awareness days with a brief description of each to help determine if joining in on any of these days fits your brand and messaging.

• Domestic Violence Awareness Month — This national, month-long awareness event honors and remembers those who have lost their lives to domestic violence, as well as raise awareness about domestic violence; it’s estimated 3 out of 4 people know someone who has been a victim of domestic violence.
• Eye Injury Prevention Month — Sponsored by the American Academy of Ophthalmologists, it is held annually in October to remind folks about the importance of eye safety during normal household tasks. Why? About 50% of eye injuries occur in the home; over 90% of those injuries are considered preventable by using protective eyewear and taking precautions during activities such as yard work, household repairs, and sports.
• Health Literacy Month — A worldwide, annual event, Health Literacy Month has been going strong since 1994. Its goal is to raise awareness about the importance of understanding health information — something that is important whether you’re a health care provider, health-related organization, or consumer.
• Healthy Lung Month — Lung diseases, including asthma, allergies, bronchitis, COPD, and emphysema, affect a ton of Americans each year. This month-long awareness aims to educate individuals on lung irritants (such as mold, pet dander, and smoke) and offer ways to avoid them.
• National ADHD Awareness Month — Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects people of all ages around the globe. This national awareness raising event seeks to dispel myths about ADHD that promote unfounded and unfair stigmas for those dealing with it.
• National Breast Cancer Awareness Month — As of January 2019, there are more than 3.1 million women in the U.S. who have had breast cancer. While more common in women, men can also develop this devastating disease. Every October National Breast Cancer Awareness Month seeks to raise awareness of this awful disease, which may help increase early detection in individuals.
• National Bullying Prevention Month — An awareness raising event typically spearheaded by schools and child-serving organizations around the country. National Bullying Prevention Month aims to encourage people to stop bullying — both in person and online (known as cyberbullying) — by raising awareness of the prevalence of bullying, and the harmful effects it can have on kids of all ages.
• National Dental Hygiene Month — National Dental Hygiene Month is a twofold opportunity — first, to recognize the good work of dental hygienists around the country, and second, to remind people how important good oral health is to overall health. In 2019, this month-long awareness campaign will focus on four routines to maintain good oral health — 1) brush; 2) floss; 3) rinse; and 4) chew. For those curious, chew refers to chewing sugarless gum after meals to help prevent tooth decay.
• National Down Syndrome Awareness Month — The goal of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month is to raise awareness of down syndrome and celebrate their accomplishments and advocate for those with it.
• National Medical Librarians Month — This month-long event celebrates the importance of medical librarians, including their important role in medical care and research.
• National Physical Therapy Month — Hosted by the American Physical Therapy Association, this awareness event aims to increase awareness of the benefits of physical therapy. In light of the ongoing opioid crisis, another goal of National Physical Therapy Month is to encourage health care providers to #ChoosePT in favor of prescribing opioids for pain management.
• Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month — Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month seeks to acknowledge the profound pain of losing a baby during pregnancy or infancy. It also remembers and honors the babies lost during these times.
• Spina Bifida Awareness Month — Spina bifida is a birth defect that occurs when the spinal cord doesn’t fully develop or close properly while in the womb. This month-long awareness event offers an opportunity to celebrate those with spina bifida, as well as raise awareness about it.
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month — Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death for infants aged 1 month to 1 year. A devastating tragedy, the cause remains unknown, though there are ways to reduce the chance of it. This month-long awareness event is a great way to spread knowledge about the potential risks of SIDS, and how parents can try to prevent it.
• World Cerebral Palsy Day — Cerebral palsy is a condition where an individual has impaired muscle coordination and/or other disabilities, usually caused by damage to the brain before or during birth. World Cerebral Palsy Day is held annually on October 6 in over 60 countries. The goal of the event is to raise awareness about the condition, celebrate those with it, and work to ensure those with cerebral palsy have the same rights and opportunities as those without it.
• Mental Illness Awareness Week — Held during the first week of October each year, Mental Illness Awareness Week seeks to educate the public on mental illness, fight the stigmas around it, and provide support for those with it or effected by it.
• World Mental Health Day — This international awareness day is held annually on October 10 around the globe. It seeks to raise awareness of mental health issues and also promote and encourage efforts in support of mental health issues.
• National Depression Screening Day — National Depression Screening Day is held on the Thursday of the first full week in October each year. The goal is to develop programs to educate, raise awareness about depression and the importance of screening, and to actually screen individuals for common mental health disorders.
• Respiratory Care Week — In 2019, Respiratory Care Week will be held October 20-26. The theme this year is “Our Team Cares” and aims to let people know all the good respiratory therapists do, as well as promoting the global advancements of lung health.
• National Healthcare Facilities & Engineering Week — The facilities departments at hospitals are largely behind the scenes, but their work is critical to ensuring a healthy, safe, and comfortable environment for both providers and patients. In 2019, this week-long event will take place between October 20-26 and will celebrate the hard work facilities departments do to create optimal hospital environments.
• Medical Assistant Recognition Week — Celebrated annually during the third full week of October, Medical Assistant Recognition Week will take place from October 21-25 in 2019. An important part of the health care team, medical assistants work in many different settings, including doctor offices, nursing homes, and hospitals, to name a few.

Additional October Events

Looking for even more options to celebrate and/or help raise awareness for some excellent causes during the month of October? Check out these additional events to get your business involved in. As always, we recommend joining forces with events that resonant with your brand. If exploring something new, we suggest working with someone from the event to be sure your contributions and efforts are appropriate.

• Red Ribbon Week — Held annually October 23-31, Red Ribbon Week campaigns to raise awareness about alcohol, tobacco, and other drug and violence prevention. It began in 1985 to honor fallen DEA (drug enforcement administration) special agent Enrique Camerena.
• National Book Month — This month-long event held annually in October focuses on the importance of reading, writing, and literature. It also celebrates American’s finest books and authors.
• National Crime Prevention Month — Created by the National Crime Prevention Council in 1984, National Crime Prevention Month advocates for communities, government, organizations, and individuals to spread the word about crime prevention and personal safety.
• World Space Week — Held annually from October 4-10, World Space Week’s goal is to celebrate the advancements of space science and technology on an international level. In 2019 the theme is “The Moon: Gateway to the Stars.”
• Fire Prevention Week — Fire Prevention Week occurs annually during the week that October 9 falls within; in 2019 it runs from October 6-12. It aims to educate individuals about the importance of the small but critical actions that can keep one safe during a fire. In 2019 the theme is “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!”
• YWCA Week Without Violence — This awareness raising campaign seeks to eradicate racism, empower women, stand up for social justice, help families, and strengthen communities. In 2019 it will be held October 14-18.
• National School Bus Safety Week — Held annually during the third full week of October, National School Bus Safety Week is an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of school bus safety across the U.S.
• National Chemistry Week — This weeklong campaign seeks to raise awareness about the importance of chemistry in our everyday lives. In 2019 it will be held October 20-26 with the theme “Marvelous Metals.”
• National Businesswomen’s Week — Starting in 1938, National Businesswomen’s Week has been held annually during the third week of October. In 2019 it will occur October 20-26.
• Free Speech Week — Free Speech Week seeks to raise awareness about the importance of free speech and free press in our American democracy. It is a non-partisan event held annually during the third week of October. In 2019 it will be held October 21-27.
• Safe Schools Week — Championed by national and local government, schools, and professional organizations, Safe Schools Weeks advocates that all American schools should be safe, secure, and productive. The actual dates held vary within October; in 2019 it will be held from October 21-27.
• National Food Bank Week — Held during the second week of October, National Food Bank Week is a weeklong food drive, while also educating people about hunger in their communities, as well as celebrating those who volunteer at food banks.
• World Rainforest Week — Hosted by the Rainforest Action Network, this weeklong event in October promotes the beauty of the world’s rainforests, as well as educates people about the importance of conserving the world’s depleting rainforests.
• LGBT History Month — This month-long event celebrates a different LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender) icon each day in October, for a total of 31 different people.
• Vegetarian Awareness Month — With an aim to promote the merits of a vegetarian lifestyle, Vegetarian Awareness Month aims to encourage people to eat more veggies, including non-vegetarians.
• National Reading Group Month — Held annually in October, National Reading Group Month celebrates reading groups, and their love of literature.
• National Health Education Week — Hosted by the Society for Public Health Education, this week-long campaign has been held annually since 1995. In 2019 it will occur October 21-25.
• National Orthodontic Health Month — National Orthodontic Health Month celebrates a healthy bite — and the impact it can have on overall health.
• National Animal Safety and Protection Month — This campaign advocates practices to keep animals safe and healthy.
• National Customer Service Week — In 2019 National Customer Service Week will be held from October 7-11. It is an opportunity to celebrate the hard work of customer service representatives, as well as to let customers know how important they are to a business, and how a focus on customer service can ensure satisfaction.

October is a great month for your brand to get involved in any number of awareness events. Advocating for one of these causes adds a voice of compassion and humanity to your company, and is a fantastic way to connect with your local community — or even a national community. And remember, with the holidays just around the corner, October is also a great month to start looking into employee gifts! As always, ePromos is standing by ready to help you with all your promotional product needs — just reach out!