The Box Tops for Education program has been around for more than 25 years, raising money for schools across the country. But people no longer have to literally cut off the tops from food boxes and household products and turn them in to raise money. Like so many other things in life, it’s now an app.
The program, started by General Mills in 1996, had raised almost $1 billion as of last year.
Wrangell’s Evergreen Elementary School wants to remind residents of the digital opportunity to help raise a little extra cash for classrooms. It all depends on how many shoppers download the app, scan their receipt to show their eligible purchases and earn credit for Evergreen.
The school receives a check twice a year, said Kendra McDougall, the elementary school secretary. It generally runs between $20 and $35 twice a year.
The money goes to buy “things outside the norm” that the classrooms could use but are not available under the school district’s tight budget.
Participation nationally started to fade after the program switched to an app in 2019 instead of asking people to cut the box tops and turn them in. The box top cut-outs disappeared in 2023.
“Box Tops are still out there!” McDougall wrote in a plea in the school newsletter on Jan. 9. “Please help raise money for the school simply by scanning your shopping receipts. You can even bring these by the office and we will scan them for you!”
The fundraising program has expanded from its beginnings with cold cereals on the shopping list. “Participating brands include Annie's, Betty Crocker, Big G Cereals, Bisquick, Cheerios, Chex, Fruit Roll-Ups, Yoplait Go-Gurts, Gold Medal, Lysol, Mott’s, Nature Valley, Pillsbury and Progresso,” McDougall wrote.
Participating products have the “Box Tops $ for Education” logo on the packaging.
Shoppers can download the app on their smartphone or go to the program’s website at boxtops4education.com.
Reader Comments(0)