How Your Trash Can Help Your School

By Hannah Odell, Huron PTO
Times are tough and the economy is still recovering. Everyone is feeling the pinch, including schools. There are a number of programs where your trash (yes, your trash) – stuff you would just normally toss – can help area schools earn cash and or points to trade for educational material or sports equipment. A little effort can pay off big.
The Campbell’s Label for Education program is an easy way to earn free stuff for a school.

Points are earned by simply saving the UPC codes from participating Campbell’s brand products. The majority of the UPC codes are worth 1 point, but there are some products that carry UPC codes with a 5-point value. The schools are able to accumulate points and then redeem them for useful educational resources and equipment to support their arts, athletics and academic programs. (A cool 1,600,000 points can earn a minivan – now that is a lot of soup! ) The Campbell’s company has been helping American schools with this program for 36 years.
General Mills runs a program for schools called Box Tops for Education. The Box Top logo can be found on products in every aisle of the grocery store – products such as General Mills cereals, Betty Crocker baking products, and Kleenex just to name a few. All you need to do is clip the Box Top logo – each on is worth 10 cents for your school. Last year these dimes added up to more than $2,200 in earnings for the Huron PTO.
Coca Cola currently has a loyalty program named My Coke Rewards. Consumers can register and accumulate points by entering codes found on Coca Cola products. Points can be used to get free stuff donated to charity or donated to your local school. And now for a limited time, for every 5 points donated between July 28 and Sept. 30 of this year gives your school a chance to win a $20,000 technology upgrade from Best Buy.
It doesn’t matter what school you attend – Huron, St Peters, or another – most of them participate in these programs. If you have any questions, contact your school’s PTO. Enlist your family, friends, and neighbors to help with your collection efforts. Grandparents, if you have grandchildren , ask them if they collect these labels and logos for their school. You can help them collect and mail to them every couple of months. What a great way to help connect with your grandchildren and feel more involved when they live far away. Make a little extra effort and help your school.