With tighter budgets in schools, fundraising is the best way to keep popular programs. Schools around the United States are suffering from severe budget cuts, now is the time to think about where money is going to come from this fall. The best solution? Eco-friendly fundraising. Not only are green fundraising programs a good solution for needed funds, but they are a chance to promote sustainability in communities and educate children on the importance of taking care of the planet.

School budgets, which typically grow at a slightly higher rate than inflation are currently either growing much slower or staying level. In addition, the drop in states’ revenue from sales tax and recent job losses will affect next year’s budgets. In this economy, there are fewer and fewer options for school activities and programs that cost extra money.

With eco-friendly fundraising programs from Green Benefits, schools and organizations can raise the money they need to give students the same opportunities and privileges as before. Green Benefits offers many programs that will give the opportunity for community education and growth in a sustainable way.

Green fundraisers are a perfect way to start off the new school year, and there are several programs available that can fit any need. Teaching children how to increase sustainability in their community and the importance of the local environment will help them live a greener lifestyle in the future. Some options for green fundraising are selling reusable bags, water bottles, and organic chocolate.

From reusable water bottles to Free Trade organic chocolate, Green Benefits is providing schools around the country with green solutions for fundraising so that kids can help out their environment while helping themselves. Green fundraising, in addition to raising money for school programs, can be used as a learning tool for children. As opposed to selling just popcorn and magazines, green fundraising reduces the carbon footprint of the community as well as raising the needed funds for a school. At the same time, it teaches kids how green fundraising impacts their environment encourages them to lead an eco-conscious lifestyle in the future.

Schools like Ames elementary in Riverside Illinois love the Green Benefits programs because of the positive message to the kids. The parents enjoy it because they aren’t just buying junk for the sake of a fundraiser, but actually contributing to the sustainable movement. Other schools that have enjoyed these programs are the CHS cheer team in California, the BMS band in Indiana, the UHS travel club in Massachusetts and Garfield High School Vocal Music Club in Seattle.

Green Benefits is committed to making a positive difference in the community by helping to increase the environmental awareness through green fundraising. They believe the time has come to act in accordance with sustainably-minded goals and values, and contribute to a brighter future. Schools are in the unique position to give the gift of knowledge, and to empower their communities to act as better stewards of the environment. The team at green benefits is dedicated to helping schools use green fundraising for money as well as raising environmental awareness.

According to Derek VanDyke, founder of Green Benefits, “everything we do has the chance to educate. Marketers often forget the impact they can have, instead of just peddling their products.”

Green fundraising programs through Green Benefits include: a direct selling fundraiser, a catalog fundraiser, and online web fundraiser and the opportunity for non-traditional green fundraising. This company is unique to other green fundraising organizations in that they can create customized programs from pre-approved products. The most popular green fundraising products are reusable water bottles and bags, as well as Free Trade organic chocolate and customized eco-friendly T-shirts; there are custom and non-custom options for designs and logos for all green fundraising products.

Thank you all for the GREAT feedback and compliments at the Wild Wild WACA conference this past week.  Derek, John and the rest of the Green Benefits team are ready to help with your spring Earth Day fundraising events.  For all of you that requested a catalog, we have placed two version for you to download on this page.  They are a high quality and therefore larger PDF and a medium sized PDF.  Both contain the same information, but the photo’s will be more accurate in the high quality version.

In any case, please call us to set-up your fundraising program right away!  1-866-733-3153

High Quality Spring 2009 WACA Catalog
Compact Spring 2009 WACA Catalog

     

Please call us to get your order moving forward.

Enhance Your School with Green Benefits    November, 2008 - Vol 1, Issue 5

In This Issue Green School Fundraiser Eat Local for Thanksgiving Theo Chocolate Pangaea Organica Quick Links Green Benefits NW Green Schools Washington Green Schools Co-op America Green Festival Treeswing Theo Chocolate Pangaea Organica Coffee Puget Sound Fresh Food

The election is over and now it is time to begin preparing for the holiday season.  Be sure to check out the Eat Local for Thanksgiving Campaign.   Also, enjoy Theo Chocolate and Pangaea Coffee this holiday season.  Both made locally!  Make this your greenest Thanksgiving and enjoy locally grown fresh food this season.  The team at Green Benefits is also excited to offer you 10% off on our Holiday Specials which will make great holiday gifts that you can feel good about giving.  An additional 10% will be donated to local charities.  Use the coupon code holiday2009 and save today! Green School Fundraiser's Check out Co-op America's recent article titled " Greening School Fundraiser's."  School's across the country are beginning to question traditional fundraiser's.  With a green fundraiser, you can help spread the word about high-quality green products and support the green economy, while raising money for schools or causes that are close to your heart. Eat Local for Thanksgiving Campaign Here's one small thing you can do to reduce your "carbon footprint" this month: Buy locally grown food for Thanksgiving dinner. The Eat Local for Thanksgiving Campaign was created to shine a public spotlight on the connections that buying local has on the environment, use of fossil fuels and energy, supporting our local community, and helping to keep our local farmers farming. Thanksgiving, with its rich cultural meaning and food traditions, is a perfect time to add another dimension to how we think about food when we are already making thoughtful food purchases Take the pledge today to use at least on locally grown food on your table and you will have the chance to win one of 5 heritage turkeys from the Puget Sound Region, one year of Organic Valley dairy or other fun prizes.  Make a difference this Thanksgiving and eat local!  Theo Chocolate Green Benefits is proud to represent Theo Chocolate, the only Organic and Fair Trade Bean to Bar Chocolate factory in the United States, and offer their one of kind products as a school fundraiser. Theo Chocolate is changing the definition of quality by uniting creative excellence that results in deliciously award winning chocolate, and an unwavering commitment to changing the way the cocoa industry conducts business.  At Theo, they believe there is no luxury in products that benefit us today, while jeopardizing future generations ability to meet their needs.  When you taste Theo Chocolate you will experience an unmatched passion and integrity in very luscious bite. Go and take a visit and tour their factory and sample their award winning chocolate.  The 3400 Phinney Chocolate Factory offers public tours 7 days a week.  Public tours are held Monday through Thursday at 2pm and 4pm and Friday through Sunday at 10am, 12, 2, and 4pm.  Tours are $6 per person, ages 1 and older.  This is a tour that you will not soon forget! Pangaea Organica Green Benefits is excited to announce Pangaea Organica Coffees to their line of quality and locally produced fundraising products.  Pangaea sources their green beans from the best Organic, Fair Trade coffees grown around the world.  Then to ensure a roast profile that suits each coffee's character, they spend time with each lot of coffee determining the degree of roast.  Under roast and the resulting cup will taste sharp and sour.  Over roast and coffees of different origins lose their individual characters and become dull and burnt. Pangaea coffees are roasted on a bed of hot air.  It is a roasting method that produces a bright, rich cup of coffee.  As with wine, there are distinct varietal's of coffee, each with its own unique personality.  Roasting by convection, using air, brings out the citrus flavors of an Ethiopian Yirgacheffe or the earthy complexities of Sumatra.  Brew the coffee strong and dark and it will not be bitter, bur rather sweet and natural. Pangaea is a triple bottom line company - people, planet, profit.  They are committed to their customers, their suppliers, the environment and each other.  Rick at Pangaea is building a place to be proud of, a place built to human scale, a place built to make a difference. Pangaea coffee is a favorite of Green Benefits.  Try it and we are sure it will become one of your favorites as well.

Green Benefits is committed to helping your organization.  Our mission is to help children, families and the community live healthier and greener lives.

Please feel free to distribute our information to any group or individual that could benefit from our services or products.  We look forward to helping you live a greener life.

Sincerely,

Derek VanDyke & John Hamlin

Green Benefits, LLC | 677 120th Ave NE #2A | PMB 173 | Bellevue | WA | 98005