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What is SCRIP?
SCRIP is a paper certificate or card used as a
substitute for money in exchange for goods or services such as gas, groceries,
hotels, airfare and entertainment. More and more nonprofits and schools
nationwide are using SCRIP programs to successfully raise money year-round.
Here's how it works:
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SCRIP is purchased from local and national merchants in bulk,
at a discount. Merchants offer the discount because it’s a convenient way
for them to retain business and secure new customers.
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Nonprofit organizations and schools sell scrip to supporters
for full face value.
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Supporters use SCRIP to pay for goods and services they would
routinely buy—without paying any additional monies for their purchases.
The organization is able to raise funds by keeping
the difference between the discount price at which it bought the SCRIP and the
full face value at which it sold the SCRIP to supporters.
Picture this: You make your
usual weekly visit to the grocery store. You fill your cart as always — with
fresh fruit or frozen French fries, tenderloin or tofu — and head up front to
check out. Your purchases are scanned and bagged, you get your total, and you
pay your $100. Guess what? You just made $5 for your kids’ school. On the way
home, you pick up a video and a pizza. There’s another $1.10 for good old
Any School Elementary.
How’s that possible?
Welcome to SCRIP, a decade-old fundraising concept with roots in California and
a large, national future. The concept is simple. Schools purchase gift
certificates, or scrip, from popular retailers (like Pizza Hut and Blockbuster
and some grocery chains) at a discount, which the retailers are happy to give because
they’re guaranteeing themselves customers and some goodwill advertising. Parents
then buy the gift certificates from the school at face value. The difference in
price is kept by the school. Parents then spend the scrip at the retailer, where
it’s worth the full face value; they haven’t spent an extra dime to help the
school, nor have they had to change stores.
And school earnings can
really add up. The most successful SCRIP schools earn hundreds of thousands of
dollars per year from SCRIP. Typical schools with modest programs can earn
$3,000–$10,000 without an undue amount of effort.
Some quick math is the best way to demonstrate
the earning potential of scrip. An average family spends $5,000 at the grocery
store ($100 per week). The school gets a 5 percent discount on grocery SCRIP.
Over the course of the year, the school makes $250 (5 percent of $5,000) just
from one family’s grocery bill. Now consider what that family might spend on
pizza and gas and toys, items with typically higher discount percentages. And
don’t forget holiday shopping. Multiply that family’s earnings by, say, 20
families and you’ve got $10,000 for your school. With the right support, SCRIP earnings can really add up.
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Meijer
Community Rewards
Meijer's Community Rewards
replaces their SCRIP program. The retail chain has been a huge supporter of the
band through their previous SCRIP contributions. Now, it is even simpler for you to put money in
your account! After filling out the Rewards application, you will receive a Meijer Guest Card that you swipe to earn after every purchase at the store. If
you already have a Meijer Credit Card, signing up will enhance the credit card
with the same Community Rewards functions.
The program features a different rate of earning
depending on how much is spent at the store per month. Here are the guidelines
which take effect after $100 has been attributed to your account:
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Monthly Purchases |
Earnings Percentage |
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$100-399.99 |
1% |
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$400-799.99 |
2.5% |
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$800 and up |
4% |
While these amounts may seem
very high for a
monthly basis, remember that you can link as many friends and family as you
want. Earnings can be made at any Meijer as well; if a relative lives in Indiana
or Ohio they can still contribute to your account. You
can have up to three different organizations per card (earnings are split
equally).
More information can be obtained at
http://www.meijer.com/rewards.
The online application can be found here:
http://www.meijer.com/mymeijer/crewardsSignUp.asp?url=/rewards
Important! When filling out the application, be sure to include the Reeths-Puffer Band
organization code: 740613
If you want to link to an existing
account, you need to get their card number.
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