PENNSYLVANIA — This Halloween, Affordable Pennsylvania brought the financial pressures facing Pennsylvania families into focus through two community events that combined seasonal fun with conversations about the rising cost of everyday essentials.

On Friday, October 30, the organization hosted its Unaffordable House of Horrors in Harrisburg, an interactive Halloween experience that transformed the rising costs of groceries, housing, utilities, gas, and other necessities into a walk-through haunted house. On Saturday, October 31, Affordable Pennsylvania welcomed families and community members from the Capitol area to Pumpkin Patchwork Farms for a festive fall hayride and conversations about making Pennsylvania more affordable.

“Halloween is supposed to be a time when we can enjoy getting scared. The haunted house was a fun way to bring those fears to life, but the reality is that these aren't just make-believe fears,” said DuJuan of Harrisburg. “Families are genuinely afraid of opening their grocery bills, paying their utility bills, or getting hit with another unexpected expense. We shouldn't have to live with that kind of fear just to get by. People deserve to enjoy life without constantly worrying about how they're going to afford the basics.”

See photos from the events here. 

The events gave residents an opportunity to connect with neighbors, share their experiences, and learn how decisions in Washington are affecting their household budgets. And the financial fears are grounded in reality. In 2025, Congress passed H.R. 1, enacting the largest cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in history. Congress also repeatedly voted against curbing the war in Iran, contributing to skyrocketing gas and diesel prices, and allowed enhanced health care tax credits to expire, driving double-digit increases in Pennie premiums. They also voted six times over the last year in support of tariffs that have cost Pennsylvania $11B.  As a result, Pennsylvania families are now facing more than $5,100 in additional costs since 2024.

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Affordable Pennsylvania is a Pennsylvania organization focused on holding elected leaders accountable for the decisions they make and their impact on working families. We make sure Pennsylvanians have the facts about how federal policies and votes affect the cost of everyday life, including groceries, health care, child care, utilities and transportation.