General Mills Box Tops

[mom2garret]

Hi all. I am just wondering if any of you out there are involved with being the Box Top Coordinator for child's school? For those of you that do not know what I am talking about, certain products in the supermarket have a "coupon" on top marked Box Top For Education. You trim these, send them to school, they are all gathered, counted and sent back to General Mills. Then, GM, cuts your school a check (each top is worth $.10). It is a really gerat way to earn extra money for education. Anywho, just give me a shout if you are invloved with this. :)
Jodi

[funnybone]

I'm not involved directly, but I do save the tops and send them to the school. My kids are in middle and high school, and they are not involved any longer with them.

Just this morning, I the Cheerieos box had a note that if you register on the website, the school will get bonus tops. Here is the link
www.boxtops4education.com/super for anyone interested.

[mom2garret]

Thanks for responding FunnyBone. I had never seen a thread on the subject, so I thought I would throw it out there. I was sitting at my computer thinking, geez, I should be trimming the gigantic photo paper box of box tops instead of playing on the computer. But you see how far THAT thought got me :rolleyes: :p You would be amazed at how many people do not trim. Then I find bags with Betty Crocker Labels, Soup Can Labels and sometimes even money! But, at least Garret enjoys seeing my participation in the school. I think last year we collected something like $600 for the library. Not too shabby but many other schools are well into the 1,000's each year. Now, that is alot of tops to trim and count into bundles of 50! :eek:
Jodi

[funnybone]

I think the subject has come up a couple of times in the past. I vaguely remember questions about coming up with ideas to make the kids bring them in (contests, etc).

I toss the tops in a ziplock bag and then trim them before I send them to the school. I remember a mom telling me that the ones that come in just torn, have to be trimmed by volunteers before they send them off. A huge waste of time for them when everyone at home can do it so easily.

[Escher]

Let's pretend it takes me, say, a minute to find scissors, cut top, put top in storage, and put away scissors.

If you just went through that routine, time and time again for an hour, you'd have what, 60 tops?

That's worth 6$, huh?

6$ per hour.

Assuming, of course, that no tops are lost, postage is free, and General Mills doesn't terminate the program during the time it take me to collect them.

I don't know about you, but my time is more valuable. How 'bout I just donate the money directly, and skip the General Mills middleman?

I'll just hand you six bucks, and you pretend I handed you 60 box tops.

For comparision, my local Wal-mart is hiring for unskilled positions at $8.00/hr. (with a raise to 8.50 after 30 days)

I've never been a big fan of these school fundraiser schemes. Marketing ploys that sell $360 worth of cereal to recoup 6$ in fundraising always strike me as exploitive.

[funnybone]

Escher, nobody is asking that you participate if you don't wish. As I throw the box off, I just tear off the section and put in in the drawer. No biggie. As for donations, I give those too since most of the schools have done away with fundraisers and ask for a check instead.

[krhm]

Our school raised $1750 last year, and has a goal of $2000 this year. This is in addition to other fundraisers, of course. I don't purchase any products just because of the box tops; we eat a lot of cereal, so they add up quickly. Like funnybone, I just cut off the box top before I recycle the boxes and put it in an envelope on the fridge. Once a year, everyone sends them in to the school, and some of the moms get together for a morning with coffee and snacks and count them up. It's as much a social morning for them as anything, and we end up with a nice little bonus at the end of it.

mom2garret, our school started collecting them once a month, but now everyone is so accustomed to the program that once a year is fine. There is a donation box in the PTA center in the front hallway for anyone to drop them off any time. They do have a contest to see which classroom can bring in the most, and the winning class gets ice cream sandwiches in the cafeteria and extra time on the playground one day.

As for the counting/sorting, it could be a good thing for kids to do if you don't have enough parent volunteers (it's "fun" math), so maybe you could get a Brownie troop or something to help out. Also, our school had a goal of buying new computers, so they advertised that goal for the Box Tops, which helped people to see the significance, especially since we were able to purchase the computers we wanted. This year I believe the goal is new gym equipment.

[Cookin4Love]

I haven't done the boxtops, but Mom2Garrett, congratulations on hitting 1,000 posts!

[Lauren]

Our school participates, too. I keep a sandwich bag in a kitchen drawer, rip off the the coupon, and send it in to the school when I have a full bag. I agree with what's been said ... we also send in an annual check for fundraising. And I don't buy food just because of the coupon, but it does seem to be on cereal and other things that I already buy.

[mom2garret]

I didn't even realize I had hit the 1,000 mark! Escher, some parents can't afford just to donate money. By doing this, the library is able to get money for some great books. It is not for all, but for those that do participate, it is for a good cause. I agree with Lauren, I do not think that parents are going out of their way to buy the products just for the box top. But I do not see the big deal if they just tear off one if they see it. I do however hate some of the school fundraisers but now that Garret just got on the bus for the new year, give it a week of two and the doorbell will be ringing.
Jodi

[jellyben]

I helped the gal one year who was in charge if the Campbell's soup labels at our school(also a fundraiser). After spending hours cutting and sorting(they have to be cut a specific way, not just ripped off the can), I swore I would never send in another soup label just to save some poor mom from having to do what I did. The man hours it would take to earn a $15 basketball was so not worth it to me(you earn points and use them to buy stuff from a catalog).

[MISSINDI]

Does anyone want our boxtops for their school? Our son is in Pre-K, so they don't collect them there. I used to give mine to someone at work, for her daughter's school, but she's not there anymore. Any takers?

[stacy7272]

Box Tops for Education Coordinator checking in! I am starting on my second year.

I have mixed feelings about the program. It is amazing how much some schools can earn with this program but my kids attend a small private school with fewer than 100 kids so we would have earned about the same amount last year that we earned from the box tops if every student gave a dollar. :rolleyes:

But I enjoy doing it. I know tons of people just throw that darn coupon away, especially now that it's on the bottom of Kleenex boxes and on Cottonelle and Viva packages which people just tear open and don't think about. It seems that there are select families that really are the ones who participate.

I don't buy anything just for the coupon - all things being equal though, I would choose the product with the coupon. I spend a lot of time trimming those darn coupons that people turn in, if only to save money on postage - which is another way this is almost not worth it for my small school. Plus, all the money the company DH works for :o has to spend on materials for printing the flyers I give to parents each month.

So, even though it may not be worth it, I find it enjoyable and I like being a part of my childrens' school and having them see me participate. It has really helped me establish a close relationship with the school's staff and it has helped me get to know many of the parents. Just this morning the director of the school stopped me on my way out to thank me for doing this again this year. :)

[mom2garret]

Missindi: I will take the tops off your hands. Let's coordinate thru pm
Thanks for the offer.
Jodi

[mom2garret]

Box Tops for Education Coordinator checking in! I am starting on my second year.

This is my second yr too

Plus, all the money the company DH works for :o has to spend on materials for printing the flyers I give to parents each month.

I do not give out flyers each month. I do about 3 - 4 all school yr. Once in the beginning of the year, once a couple of weeks before my first mailing then one more reminder before the second mailing.
Also, I just do one printout at home, then bring it into the school and have the school secretary copy and give to each homeroom teacher to distribute to each child.

So, even though it may not be worth it, I find it enjoyable and I like being a part of my childrens' school and having them see me participate. It has really helped me establish a close relationship with the school's staff and it has helped me get to know many of the parents. Just this morning the director of the school stopped me on my way out to thank me for doing this again this year. :)

I agree with your statement above! The principal actually thanked me in the monthly letter that goes home to each child. I think the school likes to see parents that give a helping hand.
Jodi

[stacy7272]

Hi Jodi!

One reason I was giving flyers each month last year was to try and encourage the parents to sign up for the Booster Club. I was trying to reach the 25 mark (the lowest goal they had) to get 100 bonus box tops. I did hit the mark but only after DH and myself, my parents, DH's parents, DH's coworkers, MIL's coworkers, my Mother's coworkers, and my Aunt (am I forgetting anyone :rolleyes: ) signed up. So I feel like these parents need a kick in the pants! :D

I alert them to the sweepstakes that go on each month so we can up our school's odds of winning and I let them know of any special offers, like all $1.00 coupons on the site that month, an extra coupon on a specific product, a new product joining the box top family, etc.

I really feel like I'm talking to a wall but, like I mentioned, luckily I have other motivations to do what I'm doing.

[mom2garret]

When I took the job over, I asked the previous coordinator about all those extra ways of earning more points. She said that she had never done it. I tried the booster club thing last yr and only about 10 people signed up so I learned my lesson. I think the reason why a stay with it is like you stated - there are other motivations. Good luck this yr with your counting!
Jodi

[Escher]

Escher, some parents can't afford just to donate money.

Even Walmart pays more than 6$/hr.

[mom2garret]

Even Walmart pays more than 6$/hr.

True, but perhaps their money is being spent on daily living and donating to the school is not in their budget. So I guess you won't be sending me any box tops in the future? How about a big fat check? ;)
Jodi

[cminmd]

I was coordinator for two years. I wanted a big increase in participation so I went to every class and we decorated a pringles can for them to put them in and I collect them once a semester. Having the drop off in the classroom almost doubled participation. Some schools give a pizza party or something to reward the class that collects the most. Others let the grades keep the money and buy stuff for next year- like playground equipment or art supplies.

I don't think the company expects you to buy the products out of your normal purchasing patterns, but its a way to reward parents for making the choice to get their products. I use the cake mixes, frig breads and cereals anyway. I tear them off the product and cut my lables down right before I send them in. Only takes me a few minutes. Last year we sent in about 12 dollars worth. We have about 500 students- if everyone sent in that amount it would be a serious boost to the school.

[newtricks]

Even Walmart pays more than 6$/hr.

I totally agree with you that often it's a lot better to simply donate the money -no cheesy wrapping paper in my house, just a nice check to the pto. But you're really overestimating the time/effort that goes into the boxtops. This is a *nobrainer* fundraiser. Rip the thing off the box, stick it in a container that's centrally located. Then, before you hand them in - if you feel like it- trim them all at the same time. Sometimes men make things a little more complicated than they need to by bringing tools into the equation each and every time. Just saying.

I'm not turning down General Mills money if they want to give it to the school.

[mom2garret]

I totally agree with you that often it's a lot better to simply donate the money -no cheesy wrapping paper in my house, just a nice check to the pto. But you're really overestimating the time/effort that goes into the boxtops. This is a *nobrainer* fundraiser. Rip the thing off the box, stick it in a container that's centrally located. Then, before you hand them in - if you feel like it- trim them all at the same time. Sometimes men make things a little more complicated than they need to by bringing tools into the equation each and every time. Just saying.

I'm not turning down General Mills money if they want to give it to the school.

EXACTLY!! Oh, and Thank God the school does not have the cheesy wrapping paper fundraisers! They sell coupon books and magazines instead. I buy 1 book and end up getting my money back!
Jodi

[stacy7272]

Let's not forget that you can also shop through the boxtops4education website. Buying things you normally would over the web, only going through their website first, gets a percentage (sometimes a pretty big one) donated to the school! Big names like Barnes & Noble and Walmart are a part of this (now only if Amazon would join!).

They also have a credit card you can get where a percentage of your purchases goes to the school.

These are easy ways to earn money for the school with purchases you'd make anyway and no extra time is taken up in the process.

[Escher]

I'm sorry. Those "Big Box" stores really hurt the community they reside in...I can't patronize them.

:p ;)

[Escher]

On a similarly related note, a company I once worked for had a well known "collect and send in" campaign to raise money for a worthy charity.

But here's the dirty little secret:

The company had a cap on the amount they would donate. Yes, for every proof of purchase they rec'd, they'd donate a buck...up to $50 grand was in the intsy bitsy fine print. All the while knowing full well the campaign would generate far more than 50,000 responses. The proof of purchases sent back weren't even counted. They were just thrown away.

It was a marketing ploy simply to generate sales.

[stacy7272]

The company had a cap on the amount they would donate. Yes, for every proof of purchase they rec'd, they'd donate a buck...up to $50 grand was in the intsy bitsy fine print. All the while knowing full well the campaign would generate far more than 50,000 responses. The proof of purchases sent back weren't even counted. They were just thrown away.

Box Tops for Education has a $20,000 per school limit. They actually have a story on their website about a school that reached that limit! :eek: Of course, most schools don't come close but Box Tops for Education is very open about their limit.

[tyroleancutie]

We hardly use any GM products, otherwise I would have mailed them you.

[gobluem82]

If you order certain catalog merchandise through the Box Tops for Education website, they will donate a percentage of the sale to your school. I don't know why this isn't better publicized at our school (and since no one else on this thread has mentioned it, probably at many other schools as well). I notified our school coordinator that it would be a great way to earn some extra $$$, especially with all of the holiday catalog buying, but she's never done anything about it. Many companies participate, such as Red Envelope and J. Jill. I think it's the "Marketplace" section of the website.