We tried to make a donation to our staff social fund this year so we wouldn't have to buy cards, etc. The donation was rejected because the staff and principal didn't feel it was appropriate for PTO funds to be used for teacher social events.

Rosewood,
Michelle makes a HUGE point concerning your status as a non-profit or not. The IRS guidelines specifically prohibit anyone from profitting from fundraising. The original money made from the soda machine being used for teachers snacks (we buy snacks for the kids) isn't a bad idea, but no one should be taking home any profits.
I think the sunshine and rain funds are a good idea.

Rosewood- Not only are you not being unreasonable but you may be doing it legally. In your bylaws, it may state that no one can profit personally from funds (shortened descrip)
I believe that it is also part of being a 501c3. If you have established that status, I would be very careful about where you spend the money and to whom you give it to.
On the BOM, we send around envelopes that we each personally contribute to for "Sunshine"(happy occasions) and "Rain" (family emergencies etc). This isn't taken out of the state's budget.
At my school, the teachers run their social club exactly the same way.
I would check with the IRS and ask if this would be an appropriate expense for your group. If not, turn the machine over to them and rid yourselves of the hassle. It doesn't sound like it is a huge profit making effort for your group. You could likely find another effort that would yield a better profit and not create such a problem.

[ 01-12-2004, 07:53 PM: Message edited by: Michelle B ]

An individual making money off of snack sales is totally different from a group supported pop machine with the funds going to the group...BUT someone has to be in charge and decide who has the responsibility of filling, purchasing, and so on. If this teacher is doing the snacks because no one else wants to do it, then she should get the money, otherwise this should be a shared responsibility AND benefit.

Reminds me of when I used to coordinate Current orders in my office and some times I would get a freebie with our order. Someone griped about my keeping it, but no one was willing to be responsible for placing and distributing the order. For a while, I tried having a drawing with everyone who placed an order being eligible for the freebie, but then I finally quit placing orders. What was in it for me? :cool:

The pepsi machine is stocked by pepsi, We don't pay anything for it, they stocked it and maintain it for us free. One of my officers parents' has a vending company so they helped us out. Here's my problem with the whole thing. At the beginning of the year we had a vending company in the teachers lounge that was there for years. The school made no money off the machine sales. So we had them take it out and we put in the pepsi machine. We make a 40% profit off the sales of the machine. Not much but better than before. Anyway we were also going to Costco and buying snacks for the teachers. Well once they ran out and a teacher stepped in before we had a chance to go and buy anymore. The vice principal was suppose to put a stop to this (district rules against teachers doing this) anyway it hasn't gotten taken care of. The teacher who keeps buying the snacks is making all the money from the sale of the snacks. So why are they asing us for money when they aren't willing to contribute. I don't have a problem giving them the money, but fair is fair. I'm I being unreasonable? :confused:

our pop machines in teachers lounge profit goes to the school. Our pto actually budgets something like what your social club is, we call the funds 'sunshine' so if u know of a teacher staff member pto member that has had a death, surgery, sickness, birthdays comes from those funds...we budgeted $400 for it this year