Ok, most people know about Box Tops for education, some have heard of Campbell’s Soup labels for education, and while pretty much everyone has seen a soda can, and therefore seen a soda can tab, not everyone knows that a fair amount of schools collect them. Here's the kicker, the soda can tabs don't benefit the school. They actually go to the Ronald McDonald House. The school doesn't benefit from collecting them at all. I found that out today when I went to Sundance Elementary School to ask about how these programs help the schools. Isn't that mind blowing, that even when teachers have to buy classroom supplies out of their own pockets, and kids lose their favorite after school programs for lack of funding, they are still willing to help out another group of kids out there. I think that is probably a very important lesson that the kids at that school are learning, wouldn't you agree?
Now what do schools get from box tops and soup labels? A lot. Box tops if you look have a little monetary designation on them for .10 cents. No, ten cents isn’t A TON of money but labels add up. Also unlike fundraisers, were only a portion of the money brought in goes to the school, with box tops; the school gets the entire amount. As for the soup labels, the school gets points for the labels collected. Then these points can be used to purchase items for the school from a catalog that Labels for Education offers.
Now I'm not saying that if you don't purchase items with box tops or what not that you should automatically run right out there and start. If you can afford to great! But I understand that there are some of us, myself included, who sometimes have to go with an off brand to make ends meet. But if you look in your pantry or food cabinet, I bet there is probably a good chance that something in it at some point in the year has one of these two items on it. How hard would it be that when you decide to use said item. (I would say food item, but I have found box tops on non-food items as well) How hard would it be to just rip off that box top, or soup label, and put it aside? Maybe in an old tin, or a shoe box, or a junk drawer even. Then once a year just take whatever you happen to have gathered together and drop them off at your local school. Even if you aren't sure that they accept them, honestly the probably do, and even if they don't they will know somewhere that does. Really it's quite painless and it requires very little of your actual time. Now on the soup labels there is no expiration date that I have noticed. However on the box tops there usually is one, fortunately they usually are good for a few years. For example one I am looking at right now doesn't expire until June 1, 2013. So even if you only turn them in maybe once a year the expiration date shouldn't be an issue.
If you feel even more into it why not get your neighbors involved? Have them collect box tops and labels as well and every few months you can get together, see how many you have and take them in. Maybe even take turns. If you don't know of a school that uses them in the area maybe they will.
Very little time, very little effort, and honestly why not send them in if you've got them? Especially if you regularly purchase items with them on them.
And while you're at it why don't you throw some tabs in there too. :)
*****In answer to a question I've been asked recently-yes they do have expiration dates on them. The ones I've seen usually expire in approximaitly 2 years. and they have a specific month and date, as well as year.******
