Ours has always been great about offering gift wrapping oppertunites to local clubs and organizations to earn cash during the holidays. Our service club has a great time and usually earn under $500 for a couple weekends work. Not a lot but we consider it money we didn't have in November!
I've been very impressed with B&N and their community support.
For the first time last year, our school district implemented a required summer reading list for grades 6 and up (Advanced Placement students). Each student had to pick one book and complete about 6 assignments during the summer.
As the parent of a soon-to-be-7th-grader, I wanted to organize a book club. When I contacted my local Barnes and Noble, the community relations person was so helpful. She said they'd never tried one for that age, but they would be happy to host it, provide a facilitator, and refreshments. Basically any schedule we wanted.
We ended up holding it at our community library (so the kids could walk there), but I was still very pleased with B&N's willingness to help.
I am so excited. I went to Barnes and Noble the other day and saw they were helping their county and city school libraries. The lady that worked there told me they were wanting to do my county next year. Woo hoo!! I am not sure of the details. She said one school was much more successful than the rest and she wondered why. My thinking is their parent group is backing it up. I told her if we had that program we would do many things to get the word out and that is when she told me that we were going to be added but she said that the librarians needed to call and talk to the community relations person. The program has a name but I didn't catch it in all my excitement. Maybe some of you know about it?