Every day in big cities and small towns across the country, enthusiastic volunteers and dedicated professionals work together to raise money for school libraries, class field trips, high school bands and scores of other programs and activities that enrich young lives. Here are just a few examples of successful product fundraising programs and the wonderful things that came as a result.
- An elementary school PTA in Cumming, GA used a product sale to raise $40,000 in six weeks. Why? To build a new baseball field, which they did and with the $10,000 left over, the school sponsored a tennis tournament and sock hop to celebrate.
- With money raised through its fall catalog sale, a private high school in Brooklyn, NY offers its students access to a state-of-the-art computer lab and curriculum. Upon graduation, students receive a special certificate, which gives them a competitive advantage in landing a computer job right out of school. Many families credit the computer lab and curriculum for the school’s 100% graduation rate – compared to a 40% on-time graduation rate for public schools serving the same community.
- Middle school students in Long Beach, CA used the money raised from their holiday product sale to pay for weekly visits to a nearby retirement home. This goodwill effort enables students to share stories and glean wisdom from elder residents and retirees.
- An elementary school PTA in Indiana put their fundraising dollars to good use over the years funding everything from a new computer center for parents, a Holiday Shop for students and other resources for low-income families to the “Jet Set” program – designed to get fathers more involved in school activities.
