November 1st is a very important deadline for many schools across this country. You see, that is the day that schools need to have their Box Tops submitted (if they want them counted towards the check that will include their Box Tops Earning in December.)
Yes, you read that correctly….I said check. Through the Box Tops for Education Program, schools can earn money….and I am not talking about chump change. Schools can earn up to $20,000 per year through this program. And don’t get it twisted….there are several schools out there Getting That Money!! Since Box Tops for Education® started on 1996, they have given schools over $525 Million!!
So, back to the deadline. You can actually submit Box Tops all year long. But, the Box Tops for Education® Program sends out checks twice a year. Here is how it works:
Schools are issued two checks per year, in December and April. The December check includes all Box Tops earnings accrued from March 2 to November 1 totaling $20.00 or more. (If the total is less than $20.00, this amount will be carried over and paid in the April check.) The April check includes Box Tops earnings accrued from November 2 through March 1.
Please note: All submissions have to be postmarked by the submission deadlines ( November 1 or March 1) in order to be included in the next check-run. If the Submission deadline happens to fall on a Sunday, they can have it postmarked on that Friday.
There are thousands of schools across the country participating in this program. And they are using the money to buy whatever they need most, from books to field trips to playgrounds. So you know that over the next two weeks….these schools will be busy counting Box Tops and getting ready for the November 1 deadline…..because they want to Get that Money when the December check is issued!!
And here are 5 ways you can help your school Get That Money:
- Find out if your school is participating in the Box Tops for Education program by going to BTFE.com. If your school is not participating, the first thing you can do is to talk to your school administrators or the PTA about starting a Box Tops program at your school.
- If your school is not participating, consider being the Box Tops Coordinator for your school. A Coordinator is a volunteer who leads the Box Tops for Education® program at a school. Coordinators are passionate about kids and schools, and an enthusiastic Coordinator can make a big difference in the success of a school’s Box Tops for Education® program.
- Send in your Box Tops right now! With hundreds of participating brands…chances are…you already have Box Tops in your pantry. Go into your pantry and your desks, find those box tops, clip them, and send them to school with your kids. Just put them in an envelope or sandwich bag with your kid’s name and teacher’s name on it.
- Signup on the BTFE.com website to learn about all of the easy ways to earn Box Tops for your school on-line. For instance, BTFE is always having giveaways that you can enter for a chance to when a bunch of Box Tops for your school. In fact, there is one going on right now. It took me a few seconds to enter to win 1,000 Box Tops for my school. That equals $100. I sure hope my school Gets That Money.
- This one is very important….VOLUNTEER TO HELP COUNT…. It would be nice if you could volunteer for the Box Tops committee at your school. But even if you can’t, then perhaps you can help to count them. You can find out who your school’s coordinator is and even email him/her by going to BTFE.com. You can count the Box Tops at home…in your pjs..while you are watching Scandal!!
BMWK – Does your school participate in the Box Tops for Education®? If yes, would you consider helping the coordinator count Box Tops before the deadline? How will your school use the money that they earn?
Disclosure: Lamar and I are paid spokesbloggers for the Box Tops For Education program. We will be providing information and stories throughout the school year in hopes of encouraging our community to take advantage of the millions of dollars that are being given to schools across the country each year. All opinions expressed are our very own.