Price Chopper Completes It's 8th Year of Tools for Schools Program

SCHENECTADY, NY (03/04/2010)(readMedia)-- As school bells rang and school buses hit the road last fall, Price Chopper continued efforts to stock the shelves of schools with the latest technology through its eighth "Tools for Schools" program. Parents, friends and neighbors were encouraged to take part in this innovative, grassroots program by using their Price Chopper AdvantEdge card to help schools rack up credits that will enable them to acquire new equipment and educational materials. As an extra incentive this year, the top 200 schools received a FREE GBC ShredMaster Departmental Shredder.

There were two Grand Prizes of 350,000 Bonus Tape Value Points. Top school based on Total Tape Value was Fonda Fultonville School, located in Fonda, New York. Wells Village School, Wells, VT., received the top prize in the Greatest Tape Value to Student Ratio Winner category.

Robyn Rose, Tools for Schools Coordinator said, "We at Fonda-Fultonville School are so proud of the support we receive from the FFCS community. It is because of the great support we receive from our entire community that we are one of the two Top Schools for a second year in a row in the Price Chopper Tools for Schools Program. This is an awesome opportunity that Price Chopper has given to FFCS and all schools at a time when schools are facing tremendous budget cuts. The community did not let this opportunity pass us by and I am very excited about the products we will be getting. I would like to thank Price Chopper, the students, parents, and community members of FFCS for another successful year."

"Price Chopper is a true partner in education to the Wells Village School. Through the 'Tools for School Program', we have supplemented our educational resources which is always a necessity in a small rural school Everyone at our local store in Granville, NY is accommodating and supportive, no matter what need we present. We are truly grateful for the continuing generous support of the entire Price Chopper family," said Linda O'Leary, principal for Wells Village School.

"Tools for Schools" is based on a system that assigns points to every dollar spent on groceries. These points are then accumulated by the schools and used towards the purchase of much-needed classroom tools. Shoppers credit the school of their choice at the Guest Service desk at a local Price Chopper, a neighborhood school or online at www.pricechopper.com, by registering their AdvantEdge card, and choosing a designated school. Each time a purchase is made with that card, the shopper's school accumulates points. Shoppers should also be aware of specially marked items from participating sponsors – Top Care, Price Chopper Brand, Kellogg's, Unilevr, Kimberly Clark, Nestle, Purina Pet Care, J.M. Smuckers, General Mills, Kraft, Nabisco, Heinz, Campbell, Quaker, Clorox, and Proctor & Gamble name products that will earn double points.

"The beauty of 'Tools for Schools' is that not only is it perfect for parents of school age children, but it's also a great way for friends, grandparents, and neighbors to enrich their local educational community," said Barbara L. Page, Community and Public Relations Manager for Price Chopper. "Additionally, it adapts well to organizations that wish to enhance educational opportunities by encouraging its members to 'donate' their points to a school.

"We chose this program over others," Page added, "because it is so easy for the general public to participate. It only takes a single time to register one's AdvantEdge card and involves no paperwork."

Geared toward elementary, middle and high schools in six states throughout the northeast, "Tools for Schools" offers schools the opportunity to compete for $500,000 in educational, technological, and extracurricular equipment. Possibilities cover a wide range of subjects, from arts and music, to science and math, to sports, and include such tools as new computers and computer software, microscopes, calculators, maps, motorized models, athletic mats, easels, and a myriad of other useful learning necessities.

The program began Sunday, August 2nd and ran through February 13th, and included more than 2,600 schools and over 270,000 customer participants in all of the regions where Price Chopper operates stores.

Based in Schenectady, NY, the Golub Corporation owns and operates more than 100 Price Chopper grocery stores in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The family-owned company prides itself on longstanding traditions of innovative food merchandising, leadership in community service, and cooperative employee relations. Golub's approximately 24,000 associates collectively own 51% of the company's privately held stock. For additional information, visit www.pricechopper.com.