Question For Parents Of School Aged Children

[CamColt]

When your childs school has a fundraiser, do you participate? I was under the impression just about everyone usually does, but Ive been running a cookie dough fundraiser for our school and Im surprised by our return. We only have about 30% participation (pending any last minute stragglers that turn it in tomorrow). Even if I had no one to sell it to, and didnt want any, I would at least pay the $11.00 and buy one for my child. And I understand some people really cant afford to do that, and thats fine, but Im pretty sure thats not 70% of our school.

Im just wondering if thats the norm or if my school is not very active with stuff like this?

 

[Christine]

I no longer participate in *most* fundraisers. If it is something I like, I will buy it but I no longer feel obligated. I have two children (DD12 and DS9). Between the two of them I feel like I am bombarded with fundraisers. Both of them do wrapping paper/candy as soon as school starts. Both of them do pizza sales (which also sell cookie dough and fruit drinks), my DD's school does a HUGH mandatory candy drive in January, my son's school has started a spring fundraiser now that sells candy and seeds for flowers. Then my DD's school will do pizza again. It is just WAY WAY to much and I'm sickened by it. So, yeah, I'd be one of those not participating. I think most parents feel this way.

Oh, and the fundraisers I listed above are just for school--it doesn't count the ones that the school band may have.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I do always try to participate, but I can tell you that I am stretched to the limit on fundraisers.

This month alone I have bought $100 worth of stuff from the baseball teams, $75 in magazine subscriptions from the school, and another $40 in knick knacky stuff and Lent Devotional Calendars from the Church.

I don't allow my kids to sell to the neighbors, DH doesn't pester his co-workers, and Grandma's are on fixed incomes and have 10+ Grandchildren each.

 

[Kimberle]

Brittany has had them in her pre-school since she was 6 months old. Yes, I've always participated. Though, I'll admit, I don't "break a sweat". I pass the book around & who wants to will. Now they sell Yankee Candles. They "go" quite easily. Much better than that cheapo gift wrap.

I know several people who are inidated with fundraisers. The kids have them for sports, school, and just about every activity they are involved in. They will "sell" a couple, but they don't do them all.

If you have a low turnout. I'd say, first, look at what you are selling. Maybe people just don't like it or it's over priced. Around here, the $1 candy bars do quite well.

Then, I'd look at who else is doing fund raisers. Is every club and sports group? People are happy to "support" but can only take so much.

Boy, things are sure different. When I was in school, the only fundraiser we had was a magazine subscription sale to pay for our Junior prom.

 

[Sandy V.]

It depends upon the fundraiser and what they're selling. I always buy at least one thing from my child for these events, but sometimes I have to search really hard in the fundraiser catalog to find a quality product for the money.

The cookie tubs and magazine sales seem to work out the best for our schools. I would estimate we probably get about 50-60% participation, and well more than that could afford to participate.

My daughter is a high school soccer player, and they are doing a cookie tub sale now to raise money for an additional coach. All players are required to sell 5 tubs (or I would guess, contribute the equivalent amount). As I write this, I'm wondering just how legal/ethical that is. "If you don't pay, you don't play?" High school sports are so darned political - but that's another thread . . .

 

[CamColt]

Thanks for the replies. I totally agree that it seems like theres always a collection for something or a fundraiser going on, etc... and it is a pain, but I still try to give at least a little to everything since it usually is a good cause. In fact we even held off on sending out notices about our Pizza/Bingo night donation collections until this cookie dough sale was over. Talk about 1 after another, huh? I think our biggest downfall with this cookie dough is its right around Girl Scout Cookie time. We have so far met the low end of our goal so its not doing too bad, but I was really surprised that oly 30% returned...and quite a few of those have more than 1 in the same family.

Kimberle, I guess our school used to do the candy bars, but that became too much of a problem with "missing" bars and the school having to buy them back. It became more work than it was worth to them, but I think those would sell great, being so cheap.

 

[Pete's Mom]

ABSOLUTELY NOT!! I went through a period for years where I (and I mean I, like my son could go door to door?) talked a lot of friends, co-workers, and family into buying some things. How embarrassed was I when the stuff came in and was cheap junk you could buy at the dollar store?

This year, it seems my son's school has a "fund raiser" every month which is ridiculous. He is in 1st grade and last week they called all the kids together in the gym and told showed them all these wonderful little toys and said, "see these? If you sell $ XXX.00 worth of whatever you can get this, this, and this." That REALLY ticked me off and you'd better believe I told them about it. I am a member of the PTO and will give as much time as I can to volunteer and I think that Bake Sales, Garage Sales, Pizza Night, are good ideas, but not this high pressure sales junk, give me a break!

Edited to add: My son was very sad that I said no, because he had his heart set on some little radio they let him play with and then took away. I explained to him that I would have to sell $ 200.00 worth of cheap junk to get him the $ 4.00 radio and then I took him to Wal-Mart and got him one. He seemed to understand then.

 

[CamColt]

Originally posted by Sandy V.
The cookie tubs and magazine sales seem to work out the best for our schools. I would estimate we probably get about 50-60% participation, and well more than that could afford to participate.

Thats what I was expecting we would get, thats why Im so surprised with this 30% .

Petes Mom, we are trying to do away with the brochure fundraiser because like you said, it is a lot of junk. And dont get my PTO going on those stupid prizes. They cause more problems and they break withinin 5 minutes of the kids getting them(if they get the right ones). We have voted on no more prizes.

 

[mom2boys]

I have mixed feelings about fundraisers. I understand the purpose. However, I have 2 kids in school. We do not live in a development. I work from home & have no employees. DH works with only 3-4 other people and really only communicates with them via telephone. I don't like to tap the relatives for this stuff - unless it's really good stuff which usually it isn't.

One point - with the fundraisers which sell food. My children have tree nut & peanut allergies. Unless I can read the ingredient label prior to purchasing, I won't buy. I have been stuck with something they can't eat more than once.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

How embarrassed was I when the stuff came in and was cheap junk you could buy at the dollar store?

ITA. I've long felt that the only people really making money off of these fundraisers are the Corporations that push them onto the schools.

One of the best fundraisers our school holds is the upcoming used book sale. We ask the kids to go through their bookshelves and find a couple of books they've outgrown and don't want any longer and bring them in.

We then set up tables in the gym and resell them for 50 to 75cents. We get great participation, the PTA makes a couple thousand dollars, the kids get books that are more in line with their current reading levels, and the parents don't mind because their money is actually going toward purchasing something they want and need in their homes - as compared to $11 cookie dough.

 

[peg2001]

Originally posted by Christine
So, yeah, I'd be one of those not participating. I think most parents feel this way.

 

[Allie322]

I am a former PTO president and long time fundraising chairperson. I am amazed at how few people participate in ANYTHING at our school! We only do 1 fundraiser a year. Depending on what was being sold, participation has been between 25% and 40%. I certainly understand that many people's budgets don't allow for these extras. But one year, after particularly poor participation, we sent home a survey about fundraising and PTO events, etc. to try and change and improve things. We barely got 20% of the surveys back. It really gets discouraging to see so much apathy.

I just wanted to edit this to add that the apathy is in my children's school--not from anyone here! Didn't want to get flamed!!!

 

[disneysnowflake]

We just send in a check instead of selling things. Most of the items are junky anyway. Just this month alone we've been asked at least 7 times to buy things from relatives. It was really bad in September.

 

[Charleneluvsdisney]

My son also has multiple fund raisers throughout the year, the most recent was a walk-a-thon to raise money for a climbing wall in the school gym. I usually pick one to participate in and that's it. Chocolate sales for Easter are currently going on now. The kids are also enticed with gift certificates to Toys R Us for high sales. He also belongs to a baseball league, that forces everyone to sell 52 candy bars, plus 2 $15 lotto tickets. This is in edition to the $40 registration fee (not a bad fee) volunteering at the candy stand, volunteering to work a stand at a Buffalo Bills game and of course also having to pitch in for pizza for all of the kids after a game. They also have the no money turned in means he will not be able to play rule/receive a uniform. Usually I just pitch in the money for baseball and hope that I sell everything eventually.

Sorry this is sooo long!!!

 

[aprincessmom]

I don't participate in all of them. If I did I'd go broke. There is at least one per month at our school and, quite honestly, I can't believe we need that many of them.

I'd rather they just ask me for a check at the beginning of the year and be done with it. I don't need wrapping paper, candy bars, oranges, greeting cards, amaryilis bulbs, seeds, fudge and nut assortments, yankee candles, or magazines I've never heard of. And those are just the ones to date this year...we still have 4 more months left of school. I fear looking in that bookbag each night, thinking of what might be coming next.

This is on top of food drives for the local food pantry (every other month...food types assigned by grade levels), mitten and hat drive, a sock drive, and personal toiletries drives and book sale to benefit the school library all held so far this year.

After awhile it's overwhelming and you become numb to them. Which could definitely explain the lack of participation. If you're asking me every 3 days to buy something or donate something, I just shut down.

 

[swanmom]

Ok......where's that "pet peeve" thread when I need it !!!! My DD is ten years old. Her school PTO is selling wrapping paper. Next month, the school is selling items made with the kids' artwork .. notecards, mouse pads, etc. Her school also runs a 'walkathon' requiring solicitation of pledges for dollars per lap.
Also, her dance school is asking each family to buy t-shirts (as a fundraiser - not in place of tuition and costumes.) Her youth group is selling magazines. Her girl scout troop has already had the kids solicit names from family and neighbors to send magazine promotions to - a cash prize for a minimum number of names and the troop is now doing cookie sales (with an expected minimum # of boxes to be sold.) Her theater group sold holiday wreaths. And I only have one DD...... can't imagine what those families with several kids in serval activites do ! Who is she supposed to approach to buy all this stuff? I have this vision of friends and family hiding behind the furniture when I enter the room! So, I don't think we should question the participation of others in fundraising!

 

[disneysnowflake]

I just wanted to say another thing.

My niece's school sold McDonald's coupons. They cost $1 each and were worth $1. The school made 25 cents on each coupon.
That was a huge success for the school because you could actually use them, unlike that crappy plastic pear shaped timer I bought from my nephew for $15.

My niece also sold coupons for Pizza Hut and Subway. That was great, too. It's something a family could really use.

There is a McDonalds just down the road from where DH works. He sold over $200 in coupons for my niece just from his coworkers. He wouldn't have sold anything to them if it came from one of those junk filled booklets our school district hands out. My niece sold over $500 in coupons and wasn't even one of the top sellers.

To expect parents to buy $10 rolls of wrapping paper is not right. The school makes very little. The company selling these fundraisers are just raking in the cash.

The $15 Nascar mug I bought from my neighbor I just saw at the Dollar Tree. Ugh.

Maybe parents could suggest selling restaurant coupons or something more useful than those crappy catalogs that are being sent home all over the country.

 

[goofy4tink]

Just got the packet for the 4th fund raiser this year. Yankee Candles in one. But the second one is actually kind of cute. They give you two note card thingies that your child can draw a picture on. Has to be in black ink. Then, you send them back in and they make them into notecards. It's $15 for 50. Something different for a change. My dd thought she might do one that was a thank-you note. Said she would actually write thank-you's then! But mostly we're tired of the fund raisers. Would like to see the schools get by on 2 a year.

 

[disykat]

I have also been fundraiser chairperson, PTA president etc. We do one fundraiser a year. Our school has about 30 - 40 % participation. People beg for the catalogs - yes, beg. It always amazes me that's what they want. Even though I run the thing - I just send in a check. 100% of the money goes to the PTA and the fundraiser company still gives the kids a prize.

We have so few people who are even willing to pay the $10 membership fee to PTA. There is no time commitment, no meeting requirements, nothing - we make this very clear. Plus you get a coupon book with way more than $10 worth of discounts in it. The funny thing is that the people who want the fundraiser catalog and spend lots of time selling are the people who won't join.

 

[believe]

Our girls are young (6, 3). I usually don't do the 3yr old's preschool fund raisers, I will send items or money when asked. As for DD6 we are selective and only do ones that she wants to do, I am not going to force her. I don't take things to work, but DD will ask family members. I am more likely to participate if I know what the money is specifically going for. I do not agree with giving friends and families addresses for them to receive a letter asking them to order a magazine, this is just not my cup of tea. I do participate as a parent volunteer at the Breakfast with Santa and I am planning on doing the Carnival.

We had a chat with the principal night and this was the biggest issue....too many fundraisers.