Cash for Critters: Turn Trash into Cash for Your Organization

By now, you've probably had at least one other cell phone. You've probably gone through quite a few printer cartridges too. Chances are, so have many other people. Many of these people would gladly give you their ink cartridges and old phones for a good cause. A lot of people might not even care about the cause, as they'd been throwing away ink cartridges all along. With Cash for Critters, your organization can get cash for these items. The Cash for Critters program can be a fun and easy fundraiser for any organization.

What is Cash for Critters?

Cash for Critters is an easy and fast way to raise funds for animal rescue organizations. Your organization will be collecting used ink jet cartridges, laser printer cartridges, and digital cell phones. Your organization will receive up to $4 per ink jet cartridge, up to $5 per digital cell phone, and up to $15 per laser printer cartridge. Many types of organizations can join (both nonprofit and for profit), including: animal rescue groups, animal rights groups, animal welfare groups, animal protection agencies, and animal shelters. The program makes it very easy for your organization to raise funds.

What Do We Actually Have to Do?

This fundraiser involves no upfront costs. For ink jet cartridges, you'll receive a postage prepaid collection box. When the box is full, you just send it back along with a short form. In 14 days, you'll receive a check for the ink jet cartridges. For laser printer cartridges, you'll be printing a prepaid shipping label and putting the laser cartridges into a box. You'll still receive your money in 14 business days. Digital cell phones must be mailed along with laser printer cartridges (put them into plastic bags to ensure that they are not harmed by the toner dust and any leftover ink). The laser cartridge box must hold at least 5 cartridges and weigh 10 pounds when filled. If it's easier for your organization to have volunteers mail their own cartridges, you can also request pre-paid mailer envelopes that will fit one or two cartridges or cell phones. You can hand these out at events as well if you wish. After you've been with the program for at least 90 days, you can also request a fancy collection box that you can put up at adoption days and other events.

Are All Cartridges and Phones Accepted?

Unfortunately, not all cartridges and phones are accepted. If you are looking to get rid of your analog cell phone, these aren't accepted. Phones that are broken or are over 5 years old are also not accepted. No Epson printer cartridges are accepted at all. There are also other types of ink cartridges that cannot be recycled. The general rule given is to look at the color of the body of the ink cartridge. Generally if the cartridge body is clear, gray, or white, the cartridge cannot be recycled. The website contains a complete list of acceptable and unacceptable printer cartridges. Unfortunately, cartridges that have been either damaged, drilled, or previously recycled, may not be recycled again and therefore cannot be sent in.

If your organization is looking for an easy fundraiser, consider Cash for Critters. Despite the fact that there are a few cartridges that will not be accepted, the work involved with sorting and mailing is minimal. You can have one volunteer on this fundraiser or several. It doesn't matter if your organization is small or large, you can do this. Stay with the program as long as you like and you set the limits for how much you can earn.