Hi Downrivermama:
At our school, we call our program, "Cash for Trash", the no-selling fundraiser. Our school, too, used to only get about $400 a year from Box Tops, but this is what we've done to bring the amount up to almost $4,000: We have a monthly collection date, fourth Tue., and that date is posted in our monthly newsletters and on our lunch calendars. The school also includes it on their bi-monthly newsletter. Also included is a list of every item we collect, along with its value. We have a monthly contest for each classroom. All students in each classroom, who bring at least one item, are eligible for a drawing. And those winners get to choose a pize from the PTA Treasure Box. This box has fancy and unusual pencils, pens, and erasers, magnets, and other whatnot stuff, most from OTC.
We also award two parties, a pizza party in Jan. and an ice cream party in May to the classrooms that brought in the most items total.
Our team of clippers and sorters pick up on the designated day and we visit the classrooms who have not turned in their bags to the office.(We have a tote that stays in the reception area of the office.)
I also submit an article to our local paper once a month about PTA news and include updates about the CFT program. We get phone calls from people who don't have kids in school and want to bring in items! We recently had a donation of 1200 Campbell's labels!
I don't know if this product is a northern MI thing or if it's state wide, but Perfection Bakeries' Soft'n'Good bread has a School Spirit program. You save the UPC/symbol and it's worth a nickle.
There is alot of money out there, pretty much free for the asking. It's pretty much a matter of letting EVERYBODY know what you need.
[ 12-22-2004, 05:09 PM: Message edited by: Debbie Ball-Odeh ]