Recruiting for Good to host Halloween costume contest in Santa Monica for girls' paid book-review gig

Recruiting for Good will hold a one-hour Halloween costume contest and party on Oct. 31 in Santa Monica, with the most creative third-grade girl winning a paid book-review role tied to a $500 savings-account launch. The event is part of the staffing firm's broader effort to fund mentoring and financial-literacy programs for girls.

Why it matters: - Recruiting for Good is using a local Halloween event to funnel one child into a paid work-and-savings program. - The winner gets an early lesson in earning, saving and consistency through a 5-month book-review gig. - The initiative ties community events to girls' mentoring and financial literacy.

What happened: - Recruiting for Good announced 'The Sweetest Bank Account for Girls,' a new community impact initiative. - The company will host 'The Sweetest Halloween Costume Contest and Party' on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. - A local third-grade girl with the most creative costume will win the one-year paid gig 'Girls Review Books.' - The prize includes an opening $500 deposit into a savings account after completion of the 5-month gig.

The details: - The selected girl will read five books and write reviews over the course of the program. - The contest winner will earn chocolate and book rewards as part of the gig. - A panel will judge the costumes, and the grand prize goes to the most creative third-grade participant. - Carlos Cymerman, founder of The Sweetest Gigs, said the program is designed to teach girls to "learn to earn" and use creative talent to do something meaningful for themselves and the community. - Cymerman also said the savings-account program is meant to build financial literacy, self-appreciation and self-confidence early in life. - Cymerman said attendees should look for him at John Kelly Chocolate Shop, 1111 Montana Avenue, where he will wear a hat that reads, "Celebrating Ladies!"

Between the lines: - Recruiting for Good is positioning a staffing business as a funding source for youth programs. - The contest format turns a holiday event into a recruiting tool for the firm's broader girls' mentoring efforts. - The prize structure emphasizes delayed rewards, with the $500 deposit arriving only after the reading and review work is complete. - The company is using the event to reinforce its brand around purpose-driven business and female-focused opportunity.

What's next: - Recruiting for Good will select the winner during the Oct. 31 event in Santa Monica. - The company says the broader Sweetest Gigs programs will continue to expand, including book-review gigs and future mentoring opportunities. - Starting in 2027, the firm plans a separate one-year gig for fifth-grade girls that includes 10 creative projects and a $1,000 travel scholarship to See The World for Good. - Recruiting for Good also says it will sponsor five third graders every five months for the Girls Review Books program, which includes a mom mentor and the $500 savings-account reward after completion.

The bottom line: - Recruiting for Good is turning a Halloween costume contest into an on-ramp for paid work, savings and mentoring for girls in Santa Monica.