MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- This fall, General Mills is celebrating the 20th birthday of its iconic Box Tops for Education™ program, which has provided schools in the U.S. with more than $780 million in funding over the last two decades. To mark the occasion, the company is reinforcing its commitment to strengthening hometown communities through school funding by doubling the value of Box Tops collected through an all-new Box Tops Bonus App during the months of September and October, and mounting a widespread push to get more people than ever participating in the program. 

Throughout September and October, General Mills will draw attention to the importance of Box Tops for Education and remind people that every clip counts. Highlights include:

• The Clip Board – A new crowdfunding-type digital tool allows Box Tops volunteer coordinators to conduct online collection drives, showcasing exactly how their clips are being used. Coordinators can post their school's specific needs – for example, benches for outdoor classrooms, auditorium enhancements, e-readers, a rock climbing wall, field trips, computer charging stations and more – and rally support to help reach their goal. Meanwhile, Box Tops clippers will have the opportunity to pledge their Box Tops and support a school's drive. People can use the Clip Board to search by school, by geographic location or by simply finding a drive that resonates with them.
  
  
• Box Tops Bonus App – There's nothing like a little extra credit, and the new Bonus App makes it easy for people to earn more cash to help schools get the critical items they need. Users simply download the app to find and select bonus offers from their favorite brands and retailers. It's as easy as scanning a purchase receipt within the app to automatically credit the bonus Box Tops directly to a school's account.
  
  
• Doubling Down During Fall – As a part of its 20th birthday celebration, during September and October, shoppers who use the app can earn an additional 20 cents on select Box Tops items. (That's in addition to the $.10 from each Box Top they clip from the package!) The Box Tops Bonus App delivers extra earning impact for schools just as students return to the classroom.

"Our new Clip Board and Bonus App give the next generation of parents an even easier way to support kids and schools," said Audra Carson, who leads the Box Tops for Education program at General Mills. "Right out of the gate, the response has been incredible, with more than 5,700 collection drives already added to the Clip Board and more than 140,000 Box Tops pledged in just the first three weeks, illustrating the great need for these critical items."

For every Box Top collected and submitted to the Box Tops program, schools receive 10 cents in unrestricted funding to help them with their basic operating needs and programs that might not be possible otherwise, such as field trips, textbooks, musical instruments, playground equipment, classroom technology, arts and cultural programming and so much more. Throughout the year, Box Tops for Education also offers a variety of Box Tops Bonus programs that allow people to earn even more.

"Schools are finding it increasingly challenging to fund everything they want to do for our kids so the resources Box Tops for Education provides are critically important," said Ann Simonds, Chief Marketing Officer at General Mills. "There are millions of dollars in Box Tops sitting on store shelves right now and there is no easier way for people to help schools get what they need."

America's K-8 schools have earned more than $780 million through the Box Tops for Education™ program since it started in 1996, with approximately 35 million households participating last year. Schools can earn up to $20,000 annually through the program.

People can interact with Box Tops for Education through Facebook and by subscribing to the program's email newsletter. Box Tops can be found on hundreds of products including those from: Cheerios, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Annie's, Totino's, Ziplock, Kleenex, Reynolds, Lysol and many more. For additional information and a complete list of participating Box Tops products, visit BoxTops4Education.com.

About General Mills
General Mills is a leading global food company that serves the world by making food people love. Its brands include Cheerios, Annie's, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Fiber One, Haagen-Dazs, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills had fiscal 2016 worldwide sales of US $17.6 billion, including the company's US $1.0 billion proportionate share of joint-venture net sales.

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SOURCE General Mills