St. Stephen's continues to support two ministries with donations of Campbell Soup Labels, pop tabs from aluminum cans, and General Mills' Box Tops for Education. These items can be placed in designated containers on the north side of the narthex behind the mailboxes. Items are periodically counted and prepared for eventual redemption by our Pew Pickers, who forward them to the following ministries for their use in purchasing needs good and services:
Navajo Lutheran Mission is located in the heart of the Navajo Reservation in Northern Arizona. In addition to running an elementary school, this organization also provides medical/dental/vision care as well as other needed goods and services. Campbell Soup Label proofs of purchase that we donate are used to purchase mini-vans and educational equipment, including overhead projectors, computers, and playground equipment for the Mission School. Box Tops for Education are converted directly into cash, and used for the school's operation; in 2007, they received over $40,000 from this source.
Ronald McDonald House provides a temporary home for families of seriously ill children who come to Des Moines for medical treatment. Once our donated Pop Tabs are received at the "House," they are put into large French Fry boxes and picked up by a McDonald's supply truck and taken to Minnesota where they are sold to a scrap metal dealer. Proceeds from the sale of the tabs are used for operational expenses of the "House."
Hints for Locating and Cutting These Items
Pop tabs are easy to pull from any aluminum can - no special instructions needed. Removal of the tab does not impact the recycle value of the can itself.
The Campbell Soup Label program requires that ONLY proofs of purchase from their products can be submitted for redemption. This is a change from prior years when the labels themselves were submitted. Here is a List of Eligible Products that includes all items that qualify for this program; you can see that there are many brand names and products that qualify. Print out a copy and take it with you when you go shopping!
Box Tops for Education coupons are pink and easily noticeable on qualifying General Mills' products. Coupons should be carefully cut so that they are intact. Here is a List of Eligible Products that includes the hundreds of products that qualify for this program - print out a copy of this one as well.
This is a ministry that serves to remind us that bold missions can be accomplished with many small incremental pieces! Collecting these items can also be a great family project as people of any age can participate! Allene Erichsen is the contact person for this initiative; she can be reached at 515.276.5621.
