RECYCLING FOR FUND RAISING

The Recycling Center is a buy back facility that pays for certain materials. We pay for clean and sorted newspaper and magazines; #1 and #2 plastic bottles and jars; aluminum cans, foil and baking dishes; office paper; corrugated boxes and paperboard packaging. You always have the choice of receiving the cash on the spot or having your proceeds donated to a charitable or non-profit organization. It is quite remarkable that of the approximately 500 people that bring recyclables each month for credit, over 350 of them donate their proceeds. A person brings a small amount of recyclables but since there are so many doing it the numbers start adding up and the organization that receives the proceeds has an opportunity to make extra money to help fund their valuable programs. A great example of this principle is the “Recycling For Katrina Relief” that began on September 3. In 20 days over 200 people donated their proceeds to this worthy cause and have already raised

$ 171.00.

We have over 400 “Donation Accounts” on file here at the Center and this number grows monthly. There is not enough space here to list them all, but there is a relatively complete listing on the Recycling Center’s web site – www.romefloydrecycles.org. Opening an account at the Center is quick and easy to do – in fact it can even be done over the phone. All we need is the organization’s name, a contact person and phone number and an accurate address to mail the checks to. We tally all the donation tickets on a quarterly basis and send out check along with a print out of the tickets and volumes that were donated during that quarter. If you want to add your organization to our list, please come by or call us.

Once active, really publicize the fact that your membership or friends of the organization can help you with your fund raising through recycling. We are happy to provide you with as many handouts as you might want to give out to people to encourage them to participate in the program. We also suggest that any newsletters or programs or bulletins that you generate include information on your recycling fund raising program – each time it goes out. Like any fund raising effort, you need to make it a very visible program. We have found that reporting how the program is going really helps people realize that their efforts count. We recommend reporting not only how much money has been raised but also how many pounds of recyclables have been brought in your group’s name and remind everyone that those pounds have accomplished several good deeds. They have helped your organization raise money. They have reduced the amount of material going into our landfill. They have provided feed stock to the recycling industry which provides jobs and products used in our lives every day. And very importantly, your program sets an outstanding example of good stewardship and environmental responsibility for young and old alike.