Simple Ways to Help Fund Our Schools

The little things add up. Good things come in small packages. A penny saved is a penny earned. We have all heard phrases such as these throughout our lives, but rarely do we actually have opportunities to put the axioms to the test. As it turns out, there are many ways we can make a big difference in our schools by just doing the small things. The good news is that most are free, or close to it, and require less then five minutes of our time.

We can start helping our under funded schools in our kitchen in as little as 10 seconds. Look inside your cupboards and pantry. You probably have several General Mills products. Each one of those products contains a little symbol that looks like a stamp. These are what are known as "Box Tops for Education". General Mills is giving schools 10 cents for each box top stamp that they submit. While 10 cents may not seem like a whole lot, the amounts do add up. Schools can bring in thousands of dollars with the box top program.

By clipping those box tops and dropping them off at a local school when you pass by, you are helping the school buy computers, art supplies, library books, playground equipment and other supplies that are needed. It only takes a second to cut off the stamp, and a minute to drop the collected stamps off at the school, but the benefits are immeasurable.

Campbell's has also had a similar program for over 30 years now. The Campbell's Labels for Education program works in the same way as the box top plan. You snip labels from soup cans, Goldfish cracker packages and other Campbell's products and drop them off at your local school. Again, the time spent is virtually zero and the gift is free. Campbell's, in lieu of money, offers the school a selection from a catalogue where the schools use their point totals from the labels collected to purchase supplies and equipment for the classroom.

Recycling can add up to big bucks for our schools as well. Many schools now have big bins that look like garbage dumpsters. These are collection points for paper and plastic recyclables. You can help by just dropping off those old magazines and newspapers in the bins. The schools receive money from the recycling centers, and you can clean up the house and help save the planet while contributing to your schools as well. Not a bad way to spend five minutes of time.

Staples is also offering a recycling program of their own that benefits both the environment and our students. The Staples Recycle for Education arrangement donates three dollars to the school you choose for every ink or laser toner cartridge that you recycle in their store.

You can also donate money to schools just by shopping at your favorite stores. Many department and some grocery stores now have programs where they will match up to a certain percentage of your purchases, typically between two and five percent, and donate that money directly to the school you choose. Target's Take Charge of Education program has contributed over $100 million dollars to schools since it began in 1997. It only takes about five minutes of your time to sign up initially, and then after that a mere second or two to hand the membership card to the cashier each time you check out.

There are many ways we can lift the burden from our educators and allow them to purchase the supplies they need to best educate the leaders of tomorrow. This is just a start, but like the adage goes, a little goes a long way.