UPDATE: The contest has been extended through Thursday, November 3.

Eager to raise money for SES without spending any of your own money? When you buy gift cards to use for groceries, restaurants, coffee and more, the stores donate a percentage to SES but you pay the same amount for the things you buy.

Where can you buy gift cards? In the front hall on Monday and Thursday mornings, or you can place a monthly standing order, which means you can choose from many more stores, restaurants and services, and pay directly from your bank account, instead of having to remember to bring a wallet to school to make your purchase. (Minimum $200 on standing orders.) And gift cards never expire.

But what’s the deal with the contest? During the month of October, the gift cards sales team will keep track of the gift card sales by classroom, and classrooms will compete to see which one raises the most money for SES.

What does the winning classroom get? At the end of the month, the classroom with the most sales will win a doughnuts and popsicles party, and the teacher for that classroom will win $100 in Powell’s Books gift cards to purchase books for the classroom. Monthly standing order forms are available at https://www.sesptsa.org/gift-cards and in the office, in the yellow envelope marked “Shop for SES”. And you can always just come by the gift card table on Monday and Thursday mornings. Since you have to shop anyway, you may as well raise money for SES while you do it—without spending any of your own money!

Questions about gift cards? Contact Ina Zucker at ina.zucker@gmail.com.