HIT> Collecting $$ for labels

[Suzanne Weinheimer <suzanne@WHATEXIT.COM>]

Here's a list of companies that (in the past) offered "collect labels for
points" -type programs.

Scott                    Little Debbie
AT&T                     Campbells
General Mills            Ellison
Best Choice              Kroger (supermarket)
Publix (supermarket)     Giant (Supermarket)
Safeway (Supermarket)    Martins (Supermarket)
Hills (Dept Store)
-----------------------
Scott Tissue/Paper products - collect the "Apples for Education" apples
that are on the package. Not sure if this program still exists.
-----------------------
I've used local programs and also the Boxtops for Education.  In our
school of about 450, we averaged $225 annually from Boxtops; not my goal,
but it's found money.  Because we are an Orthodox Jewish school where
most families eat kosher foods, we do not use Campbell's products.

The best way is dedicated volunteers who keep support, processing,
publicity and incentives going.  Most of these programs are labor
intensive.  I sometimes have students help with clipping and bundling,
and my own kids have been good helpers, too.
-----------------------
We participated in Boxtops for Education last year and it was quite
profitable.  You can ask local grocery stores if you can set up a
collection area and posters so that customers can buy Gen. Mills and
donate
their boxtops.  Also, Little Debbie (snacks) had a program last year but
I
am not sure about now.  Check their boxes.  Hope this helps!
-----------------------
AT & T has a promotion that involves customers calling a toll free # to
register.  AT & T provides your school with ponts to use for technology.
I don't know more about it.  The number I called as a consumer to
register points for my children's school is 1 800 354 8800.  Sprint is
doing something similar.  The # for customers to register is 1 800 268
9849.  Little Debbies and General Mills also have programs.  Good Luck.
-----------------------
We do both Campbells and Box Tops.  Campbells gives out a catalog you can
use to redeem your labels (thousands and thousands of labels for a globe
:-(   Box Tops send a check to be used as you please - much more appealing
to us!!
------------------------

We collected Campbell's labels for the last three years, and we finally
decided it was worth the effort.  The payback in soooo disappointing.
[NB: I questioned the person who wrote this, but no reply; maybe they
meant that it was NOT worth it?]
----------------------
Both Krogers and Publix food stores have "cash cards." You present the
card with every purchase and credit is given to your school.  With Kroger,
the school gets $500 for every $75,000 credited to the school.  It adds up
fast.
----------------------
Best one I have used is a program called QSP which gives $125 credit for
Ellison dies for every 25 magazine booklets students write 7 addresses in.
We did it with 1 grade and got $525 in credit.  Sounds to good to be true
but it was great-bribed the kids with a popcorn party for the class that
did the most books...waiting for the dies right now.
----------------------
Do you have a volunteer committee to do the work of collecting, counting,
organizing, storing, etc.? (or is the "volunteer" YOU?) - I guess what I'm
saying is that if you plan to do this on "paid" time, make sure you are
doing better than "breaking even" - does your hourly wage exceed the
amount
of "free" money? If not, is it worth it? Remember that your employer pays
more than your salary, they are probably paying benefits and possibly
disability and/or unemployment fees, etc.

Perhaps you'd be better off trying for a grant or asking the principal if
you can send out a "wish list" to parents or the community. At my previous
school, PTA gave every teacher $50 per year for room decor and
miscellaneous
classroom items, and gave the library $250 + some bookfair credit for
books.
Any time I purchased something (from a museum I visited, or odds & ends
from
the stationary store, etc.) I just submitted the receipt(s) to PTA and and
they reimbursed me from my "account."
----------------------
I don't know if the products are available in your area of the country,
but
many of our churches, schools and clubs save "Best Choice" UPCs.  "Best
Choice" is a generic brand supplies by Associated Wholesale Grocers.  They
pay 3 cents for each barcode collected.
--------------------
If you have Hill's Dept. stores in your area, they have several
programs.  We collect the Hill's receipts and have been able to get a tv
and vcr.  They also have other items in a catalog, I believe.
This is no help if you don't have a Hill's though.
-------------------
   Our schools used to take part in the "Apples for the Students" program
sponsored (in Oklahoma) by Homeland grocery stores.  I think other chains
might sponsor it in other areas.  We quit when our local Homeland store
was
sold to another chain, but I think I got publicity on it last year.  You
could get computers and software, IBM as well as Apple, plus other school
materials.  Students collected grocery store cash register tapes.  We got
much more from that program than we ever did from Campbell's L.F.E.
-----------------------
The grocery stores here that participate in the "cash receipts" program
are:
        Giant (but I think this is a local chain out of Landover, MD)
        Martin's (which is part of a different Giant chain in PA -- gets
          confusing :)
        Safeway
You would probably know about it if stores near you offered this
incentive.  Truthfully, you have to collect soooooooo many to get anything
of any substance that I'm not sure it's worth the large amount of time it
takes.  Hope you'll post a hit with any ideas you receive (if you receive
any!)  have a great weekend!
-----------------------

****************************************************************
Suzanne Weinheimer, Library Media Specialist
South Mountain School/Annex (K-4),   444 West South Orange Avenue,
South Orange, NJ  07079
email:  suzanne@whatexit.com
school web page: http://southmountain.somsd.k12.nj.us
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