November’s here and Thanksgiving is the day that sticks out most to my seven year old. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, during the month of November, I will write a weekly blog post on GIVING. I’d like to start by asking you a question — Are You Clipping for Education?

As many of us know education is at a pivotal point in this country given many factors like state budget shortfalls, graduation rates and global statistics. And documentaries like Waiting For Superman have shed light on the many challenges facing our educational system. Given the state of education in this country, some states (i.e. Florida, California, Oregon, Arizona) weighed in on funding education initiatives in this week’s midterm elections.

This week my daughter brought home a letter from school — asking parents to clip Box Tops and Campbell’s UPC labels to raise money to upgrade the school’s technology. Clipping for education is a great fundraising idea!

In fact, I learned the importance of clipping Box Tops for Education from one of my best friend’s who happens to be a schoolteacher (which I consider to be one of the most important professions) back when I was single without any kids. She told me to clip them out and send them to her for school. As a real friend would do, I made it a habit of clipping them and saving them for her.

How do you clip for education?

Here is how it works: You clip off the labels and give them to your school and they receive money or points towards free merchandise (sports equipment, computers, books, etc.). Box Tops for Education program gives your school 10 cents for every label, which adds up quickly. Campbell’s labels for education allows your school to earn points for each label that can be used toward school related merchandise.

Clipping for Education can make a real difference in our schools. If you haven’t started doing it, I encourage you to start clipping for education. Taking the time to clip these labels from everyday products (cereals, snacks and household items) that you are already buying helps to make our schools better for generations to come.

Please visit Boxtops4education.com or labelsforeducation.com to learn how to clip for education.

Watch the video The Future Is In Our Classroom, which highlights the state of education today:

Do you have any other ideas on how to help raise money for schools?