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There's a whole new way to collect Box Tops for Education

If you've ever cursed those little cardboard cut-outs, this is welcome news.
A new mobile app for collecting Box Tops for Education promises to streamline the fund-raising process.
A new mobile app for collecting Box Tops for Education promises to streamline the fund-raising process.
/ Source: TODAY

Box Tops are getting a high-tech upgrade.

For almost a quarter of a century, parents have been asked to clip the small tabs and donate them to local schools in exchange for cash for school fundraising. Now there's an app for that. The new mobile app cuts out the majority of the work — parents can simply scan a receipt and earn ten cents per participating product purchased. The money is sent directly to a school of their choice.

"Box Tops for Education has made a significant impact in school fundraising over the last 23 years, and we’re evolving the ways schools can earn cash," said Erin Anderson, the manager of Box Tops for Education, in a press release. "Modernizing Box Tops to fit the needs of today’s families brings the next generation of supporters and brands into the program, so we can stay true to our mission: to help schools get what they need."

The app will be available for most devices and can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store and Google Play. The app automatically identifies all participating Box Tops products and bonus offers. Parents have two weeks to scan their receipts.

Supporters will also be able to track their personal contributions, according to the press release, and see the impact of their participation in real-time.

The change was greeted positively on social media, as schools celebrated the easier way of managing donations.

One even shared a step-by-step video demonstration of the new app.

Some shared their own memories of keeping track of the original clippings.

Despite the change, the original Box Tops aren't quite obsolete yet. According to the press release, participating products will still feature a Box Tops for Education label and traditional clip during the transition to the app — and "most participating brands" are allowing supporters to "double dip" by submitting both the digital and physical versions of the Box Top, so schools can get double the support.

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