Businesses And Communities Find Way To Fund School Programs (NAPSA)—More and more businesses are doing well by doing good, especially when it comes to helping schools raise funds. One new multi-million dollar fundraising program that is helping K-12 schools nationwide is getting especially high grades. Through Kmart’s School Spirit program, the company plans to donate a minimum of $10 million to participating schools across the nation during the 2001-2002 school year. The year round program turns eligible purchases made at Kmart into cash for schools—allowing children and teachers to focus on schoolwork instead of fundraising. How It Works Customers need only enroll in the program, specify the school to receive donations, and use a special School Spirit card while shopping at Kmart. With each purchase at any Kmart store, the company will donate a portion of all eligible purchases to the customer’s schoolof choice. “Schools everywhere are looking for additional funds, whether it is to purchase basic supplies, fund special programs, or build new computer labs,” said Charles C. Conaway, Chairman and CEO of Kmart Corporation. “Kmart is proud to do its part to further the education of our children, and to give back to the communities where our customers and employees live and work.” The School Spirit program provides greater opportunities to a |.Usten to eo: Aeocher for hl Jf evcryne has th J Keep working grees on the A NEW TREND IN SCHOOL FUNDING—Schools looking for addi- tional ways to raise money are benefitting from easy to implement programs such as Kmart’s School Spirit. raise more dollars for schools since customers can pay for their purchases by cash, check or credit card. Additionally, customers shopping at any store can designate a School Spirit donation to an outof-town school, making it possible for relatives and friends living elsewhere to raise money for a specifie school in anotherlocation. Another unique aspect of the program is that shoppers with children in multiple schools can enroll for multiple cards and direct donations to the corresponding schools. Participating schools will receive checks from the retailer twice a year, beginning in Spring 2002. Customers can enroll and immediately receive cards for the School Spirit program at more than 2,100 Kmart stores or enroll online at www.bluelight.com and receive the School Spirit card in the mail. To let educators know about the School Spirit program, the retailer has sent enrollment materials to over a hundred thousand school principals in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. The program is totally free to the schools and they can use the money as they see fit. Each month, Kmart will run special promotions doubling the amount it donates to schools.
