How do you feel about corporate partnerships or sponsorships when it comes to the PTA? Are you picky about where the money comes from when a donation is made to your school? What if it’s going to the state PTA? Does that make more or less of a difference? I ask because last week I got an email from a parent in Orange County, CA through change.org asking me to sign a petition because she was upset by a partnership the California PTA had with McDonalds.
This mother of four is concerned that having the fast food giant donate opens the doors to other fast food chains to do the same. She is concerned, as most parents are, with childhood obesity. Heck, it isn’t just childhood obesity that is a problem, as I’ve mentioned on this blog before.
In her petition, she says, “[The PTA] would be sending the message that our children’s health is of the utmost importance and a topic that needs our attention. In turn, our students may make one less trip through the drive through, awareness will be raised, and our obesity rates will decline.”
I think keeping our kids healthy IS important. But our kids aren’t going through those drive throughs on their own. PARENTS are driving them! WE make those choices for our kids. Most people know the difference between healthy food and unhealthy food, but whether we choose to eat healthy is entirely up to us. Funding, though, especially for our schools is a different story. McDonalds may not be the best choice we can give our kids to eat, but as a corporation, they do a lot of good! I know several families personally who have benefitted from using the Ronald McDonald Houses during times of serious illness and seen the golden arches on many philanthropic causes as a major supporter.
Because some parents may choose not to give fast food to their kids is that any reason to not accept money on behalf of the schools?
I know when we receive our PTA membership cards, we always get a coupon for Legoland and the aquarium and a few other sponsors. Some years we use them, others we don’t. That is up to US as parents to decide, but why should we take that money away from our kids’ education just because we don’t want to eat fast food? Rather than finding ways to stop money from coming in, why not focus on getting more sponsors? Ask Subway or El Pollo Loco or Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s! Let’s not STOP money from coming in just because we don’t like where it’s coming from. Let’s find more yeses!
How do you feel about corporate sponsorships?
Now I’d like you to do a couple of things for me. #1 tell me what you think in the comments section. #2 share this blog post with three people who you think might be interested in the discussion and if you haven’t already signed up for my email list, you can do it over here ————–> I promise no spam!
To your success!
Sarah
Sarah has been fundraising for schools since 2008. She is the author of A Mom’s Guide to School Fundraising and has consulted for several schools and clubs. She has been featured on RetailMeNot.com, Scholastic: Parent & Child and The New York Times. She thinks all kids should be able to have a well-rounded education, team uniforms, instruments and support. Don’t you?