Box Tops for Education® Reaches Half-a-Billion in Earnings; Urges America to Get Involved to Support School Funding

MINNEAPOLIS, March 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Box Tops for Education® today announced that as of March 2013, the program has earned $525 million for schools across the country through all Box Tops programs since 1996. In just the past year alone, Box Tops donated $47 million to schools across the United States. With school budget cuts happening across the nation, Box Tops has become increasingly important as it provides unrestricted dollars to help schools, and the program is urging people to get involved to help meet its goal of helping America's schools earn another $75 million by the end of 2013.

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Beginning this March, people across the nation can get involved by clipping Box Tops labels from more than 240 brands in 40 product categories.  For every Box Tops label collected, schools receive 10 cents in unrestricted funding to help them with their basic operating needs and programs that would not be possible otherwise, such as field trips, textbooks, musical instruments, playground equipment, classroom technology and arts and cultural programming.  At the heart of the program are more than 75,000 volunteer Box Tops for Education coordinators who motivate local communities to collect Box Tops.

"We couldn't be prouder to have reached such a significant milestone, but we couldn't have reached $525 million without the passionate coordinators that help collect Box Tops," said Mark Addicks, chief marketing officer at General Mills. "Through their amazing efforts, we've been able to help fund school programs that would have been lost if it weren't for the Box Tops program."

Throughout the year, Box Tops for Education offers a variety of bonus Box Tops on more than 50 million packages at grocery stores and at www.BTFE.com, allowing shoppers to double their earnings with select products.

"I witnessed the power of the program when I visited several schools in the state a few months ago," said New Mexico governor, Susana Martinez. "After seeing how easy it was to earn cash for schools, I started encouraging everyone to participate to help students get the things they need most to improve their education experience. I congratulate Box Tops for Education on reaching this impressive level of support for students everywhere."

On average, schools in the U.S. earn around $900 annually through the program, but many schools earn more than $20,000 by clipping Box Tops, participating in bonus programs and shopping 300 online eBoxTops® retailers at the Box Tops Marketplace®.  Learn more about how to get involved with Box Tops at www.BTFE.com or on Facebook.com/BoxTopsForEducation.

About Box Tops for Education
America's schools have earned more than $525 million through all Box Tops for Education® earnings programs since the program started in 1996, including $47 million just since March 2012. More than 90,000 schools use that cash to purchase items such as computers, library books, art supplies and playground equipment. Schools can earn up to $20,000 by clipping Box Tops coupons from 240 products and can earn eBoxTops by shopping online through the Box Tops Marketplace. To learn more and for a list of participating products, visit www.btfe.com.

Facebook at www.facebook.com/BoxTopsforEducation
Twitter at www.twitter.com/BTFE
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SOURCE General Mills