VolunteerSpot Helps Organize Box Tops For Education Submissions: Deadline November 2

Thanks to VolunteerSpot for sponsoring this conversation to bring awareness to their awesome platform. All opinions are my own

So, I fully thought that when Nathaniel graduated from elementary school that I would kind of lose my desire to really be as involved as I was beforehand. I mean, who wants their mother always up at their school, or always at the forefront of school activities when they are in high school? To my astonishment, he actually does. and I’ve been a bit harried trying to figure out just how to make that happen in my proposal to the head of school. One thing that I know is I am a Box Tops for Education superstar, AND I stayed sane with counting and clipping by using VolunteerSpot the last couple of years of his elementary school career. I found out about VolunteerSpot on PTO Today while browsing for new collection sheets for Box Tops for Education. 

For those of you new to HFoN, I’ve been a Box Tops for Education (BTFE) coordinator for several years now. Longer than the trifecta have been alive, and well, I kind of love it. Actually there is no kind of about it. I’m a full fledged Box Tops clippin, askin, mom, and I’m proud of it. Since implementing the VolunteerSpot model at the school several years ago, we collected almost $1200 worth of BTFE in two years. Before then, we STRUGGLED. I mean, who wants the same person constantly reminding them about things, or asking them to sign up, or meeting them like a stalker at the front door of the school? Not that I did any of that, but I’m sure lots of parents felt that way. After introducing the platform during one of our parent meetings, I think a collective sigh of relief was exhaled, and I saw the fact that volunteering increased quite a bit. 

I no longer had to go from teacher to teacher to remind them about the Box Tops, I had a volunteer for that. I no longer had to print off the collection sheets for the parents to have. I had a volunteer for that. I no longer had to remind folks about the clipping parties that I hosted, because I had VOLUNTEERS an pizza for that. Essentially, the VolunteerSpot platform made it easier for parents to take charge of their time, and volunteer for time slots that THEY were comfortable with. So now, with the November 2, submission deadline for BTFE coming up, I don’t have to be frazzled about collecting, checking expiration dates, or reminding teachers and parents. I have volunteers for that. They sign up for time slots that I have opened up, and it’s that easy. I can set the amount of volunteers needed, and here’s the thing: I no longer have to feel guilty about a parent getting a “golden” job, because my email goes out to my listserve at once, and then it’s up to the parents and teachers to respond in a timely manner. No nagging, no tears (there have DEFINITELY been tears before) and many more dollars coming in from fundraising efforts. 

Which brings me to your reminder. If you are a coordinator – submissions for BTFE have to be postmarked by Monday, November 2 in order for them to count on your December fundraising check, and believe me, you don’t want to miss out on that! You can submit as often as you want, but everything you want to count for THIS check needs to have been postmarked on or before November 2. Also remember to bundle in groups of 50 OR you can just submit collection sheets as they are without staples. Bonus Box Tops are bundled altogether (no need to start again after 50) and remember to check expiration dates!

If YOUR PTO or parent volunteer coordinator isn’t using VolunteerSpot to organize all of those school functions, it’s time for you to look like the hero and introduce it to them.