Anonymous wrote:PTAs need to target their fundraising efforts to the wealth of their population. Selling gadgets won't get you far when you need tens of thousands every year and families can buy anything they want and already have everything they need. In those circumstances, a check-writing campaign, a well-attended auction with cool experience-type things will be much successful.

This is what our arlington school does.

I don't hold it against the school, but I hate the fact that selling products sends a big slice of money to some random, opportunistic company. The school gets a cut; how nice. I'd rather give a school $50 straight up. Plus all the kids are entrapped by obligation into the door-to-door and family-to-family sales campaign, which basically pressures everyone to participate into Fleecing School Enterprise's money making racket.

The only thing I will buy are the World's Finest Chocolate Bars, more specifically the crisp kind otherwise, I'd rather just give money.

Exactly. When your school has a fundraiser, just donate the money you would have felt obligated to spend on the things you know you don't want and decline to actually take the things. Done. Such angst on this every year.

But when they ask you to buy stuff, you can just say you will write them a check, then everyone is happy.

Our school switched to a check campaign and got less than half of what we normally get selling 'crap'. Grandmas, aunts, neighbors buy stuff but no one asks them for a straight check. Believe me, the sales programs are a ton of work for the ptaand the school too, but people say they will write a check and then most of them don't. We had s few people wrote large checks, otherwise we'd be further in the hole

+1 to PP 9:27.

Lead by example. Write a check at the beginning of the year and send it with a note indicating that you won't be selling anything or, worse, contributing to scams like Boosterthon. Encourage other parents to do the same.

Anonymous wrote:We just write a check at the beginning of the year; no need to wait for a formal invitation to donate.

+1

Those pizza kits are awesome though. I confess I get a little excited and free up freezer space.

We just write a check at the beginning of the year; no need to wait for a formal invitation to donate.

Amen!

PTAs need to target their fundraising efforts to the wealth of their population. Selling gadgets won't get you far when you need tens of thousands every year and families can buy anything they want and already have everything they need. In those circumstances, a check-writing campaign, a well-attended auction with cool experience-type things will be much successful.

I agree. Never bought anything from PTA fundraiser. A request for a donation would have been more classy

Can you give me some money?

Wrapping paper, cookie dough, pizza kits, clothes labels ... nothing you offer interests me. Just ask me for money.