That is a great idea. I work for First Financial Merchant Services, we provide credit processing services to businesses. We have an outstanding GIVEBACK program that currently works with over 650 charities nationwide. It costs the merchant nothing to do, and our company takes 10% of the net profits from our services each month and sends a check to the organization the merchant would like to support. The best part is they can specifically designate a school nearby and the money stays 100% local. We are donating back over $1 million dollars a year at this point, and would love to make that number higher. We consider it a privilege to be able to make a difference in the communities we work and live in. If any merchants read this or if anyone knows a business that would be interested in participating, please let me know and I would be happy to get more information to them. Here's to making sure the schools having what they need to be successful.

When I was a kid, we had a few fundraisers a year for the school selling magazines or restaurant discount cards that few students had any success selling. Most kids would just give up after not selling anything after a short time. But once or twice a year, they would sell chocolate bars for a buck apiece. Every kid was given 2 boxes of 15 bars to sell, and for every box you sold you could get issued two more boxes the next day. Most kids had no problem at all moving multiple boxes daily, and many kids at the school reached sales levels where they earned prizes like boom boxes and small televisions. Its such an easy sell handing someone a chocolate bar for a buck or two or a box of chocolate mints for three or four bucks. After a few days, you could just go back thru the neighborhood and often resell just as much as you sold before because everyone wanted more. Why does no one ever try selling me chocolate for a fundraiser? I don't wanna buy a magazine, and I don't wanna buy a card for discounted pizza that is really not a greater value than the coupons already available for free. Are these magazine drives ever really netting the school any money?

the problem with the Woodbury Lakes program is it doesn't take the socioecomonic factors into consideration...it's a contest so families who spend the most "win". It would be great if it benefitted all of the schools that participate...just award in the percentage spent, so even if you don't go to a school with the big spenders, you would still receive some benefit for shopping at Woodbury Lakes.