April 17 issue of Family Circle - Good Works

by Celia Shatzman

Earth Mother
Lisa Olson helps school fundraisers go green - and everyone learns a few lessons along the way.

Tough cookie
Lisa Olson dreaded when her elementary school kids would bring home candy and wrapping paper fundraisers. She wanted to lend her support but couldn't justify buying certain items. "We teach kids about childhood obesity, then ask them to sell cookie dough," she says. "We emphasize recycling, then push gift wrap that's not made from recycled paper." LIsa felt there had to be an alternative.

Start-up shop
Meanwhile, Lisa was adopting a greener lifestyle at home, discovering all sorts of useful, environmentally safe products. Was there a way to combine eco-consciousness with responsible fundraising? She began researching reusable items like shopping bags and bottles as well as fair trade goods like coffee and jewelry. By collaborating with moms who worked in design and printing, she was able to create a catalog of products, including some sold by local businesses.

Community effort
Within three months Greenraising was up and running, thanks to the help of volunteer PTA moms who serve as representatives. Schools were quick to adopt the new idea: each one keeps up to 40% of sales.

Shop smart
After the launch Lisa took her idea a step further by integrating her efforts into the classroom. A former teacher, she knew lessons could be taught using, say, coloring books for kindergartners or science experiments for older kids. Teachers receive lesson plans along with Greenraising materials so they can educate students about the potential global impact of selling the various products.

Sweet charity
Today more than 1,000 groups in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico particpate in Greenraising. While schools account for three-quarters of the program, other nonprofits can get involved, too. Last year a total of $300,000 was raised by schools and charities. Lisa's family continues to play an important role as well: HEr husband quit his finance job to become Greenraising's CFO, and her kids help pack boxes in the warehouse.

School spirit
Greenraising seems to make students more enthusiastic about supporting their schools, says Lisa. "In addition to providing practical, earth-friendly products, the students are dispensign crucial information about how much paper we waste," she says. "Schools are not only raising funds, they're also raising awareness."

Simple swaps
Lisa know speople can't be expected to change everything all at once. "But if you start with an achieveable goal, it will lead to the next step," she says. "People soon realize tiny actions do add up."