Got Milk? Doing So Could Mean Money for Your California Classroom

If you've read my blog for any period of time (or sauntered over to the SoCal Mom or MOMocrats Facebook pages), you'd see very quickly that I'm something of a news junkie. My lifelong habit of starting each morning with a big helping of news is one that's been impossible to break...

...even when the news is so unrelentingly bad that all I want to do is stick my head in a hole and hide (an urge I've found getting stronger over the last three or four years).

You don't have to be addicted to journalism to know that we have a ton of problems in California. Our schools and universities were once the best in the country. Now we struggle just to keep them open.

For years, public schools have relied on parents and community fundraisers to pay for programs and personnel that get lost with each reduction in their operating budget. And as money has gotten tighter, fundraising has had to get more creative. I don't think there is a public school parent in the country who is not aware of a certain program that requires us to clip pink-colored logos off supermarket products, in exchange for school cash.  

And this week, the California Milk Advisory Board (which represents 1,620 dairy families) has announced a similar promotion which will benefit the schools in our state:

The Real Seal Appeal! Sweepstakes will award up to $2 million in cash, books and prizes to our local schools. Participation is simple: Find the Real California Milk seals (depicted at the bottom of this post) on the milk and dairy products you already buy and turn them in to your teachers. Each seal you turn in acts as a sweepstakes entry -- the more you collect, the more chances your child's classroom (and school) has to win.

I was surprised to learn that, contrary to the popular belief that Wisconsin is the country's number one dairy state, that title belongs to California. We lead the nation in the production of total milk, butter, ice cream, yogurt and nonfat dry milk.  Chances are, you're already buying California milk and dairy products for your family. After all,  the calcium in milk is a health essential -- especially for children and women. 

While you're at it, just look for these seals, clip 'em and send 'em off to school with your kids. It could mean some extra cash for their classroom.

 

Thank you to the California Milk Board for sponsoring this post about the nutritional value of dairy products in a balanced diet and the Real Seal Appeal! Sweepstakes. I was selected for this sponsorship by MomsLA and the One2One Network.