Begun as a way to get candy out of the house, Treats-4-Troops has become a community-wide post-Halloween candy collection project in the Washington region.

It was started in 2007 by the Bethesda-based non-profit MoverMoms, and has collected more and more candy each year. Last year, seven tons of candy were collected and donated to Boatsie's Boxes in West Virginia, which packs it all in Christmas stockings for U.S. troops of all faiths who are serving abroad.

"The wonderful thing about Treats-4-Troops is that it's a win-win for everyone," Rebecca Kahlenberg, executive director of MoverMoms, said. "Children learn about sharing and caring, parents and office workers get the candy out of sight, and our troops receive a special treat around the holidays."

Here are the 2012 drop-off locations in Montgomery County (slso available with more info at  www.movermoms.com):

• Whole Foods Market (River Road, Bethesda)—Anytime from Nov. 1 through Nov. 4
• Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School parking lot (East-West Highway entrance)—Saturday, Nov. 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  
• Walt Whitman High School parking lot (Whittier Boulevard, Bethesda)—Saturday, Nov. 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  

Drop candy off outside at the following locations anytime from Halloween through Sunday, Nov. 4th. (No need to ring bell.) 

You can also drop off candy at these addresses:

• 7101 Loch Lomond Dr., Bethesda 
• 5010 Alta Vista Rd., Bethesda
• 5408 Huntington Parkway, Bethesda
• 8011 Whittier Blvd., Bethesda
• 4900 Fort Sumner Dr., Bethesda
• 6423 79th St., Cabin John
• 7202 45th St., Chevy Chase, MD
• 7300 Brookstone Ct., Potomac
• 7412 Brickyard Rd., Potomac
• 11607 Gowrie Ct., Potomac
• 205 Alderwood Road, Gaithersburg
• 319 Argosy Drive, Gaithersburg