I love this board. I found it last year and have had so much fun fishing around for donations. It feels like Christmas morning when I get a package in the mail.

We have had great success by contacting children's authors. So far we have received Three Autographed copies of books. Our teachers are especially excited by these. Pete the Cat is very popular among our students, so I was uber excited when we were able to choose which book we wanted signed and donated! Mike Thaler, author of the Teacher from the Black Lagoon, also sent a book and a nice letter. Many of the authors do not have donation request forms. I simply went to their webpage and sent an email via their contact me links.

Hope this helps.

If you read their guidelines it looks like thirty one does not give to schools...Please note, Thirty-One Gifts does not support the following:

• Organizations that are not tax-exempt under paragraph 501(c) (3) of the U.S. IRS Code
• Individuals for any purpose
• Athletic events or teams, bands and choirs (including equipment and uniforms)
• Debt-reduction or retirement campaigns
• Public or private primary or secondary schools
• Requests to support travel
• Groups or organizations that will re-grant Thirty-One Gives' gifts to other organizations or individuals
• Lobbying activities

I just submitted a donation request to thirty-one corporate. Here is the link:
www.thirtyonegives.org/request.html

I think some have corporate programs (like 31) but I went to the sales person directly. 31 corporate turned me down and I've bought a lot from them this year. A lot of their charities are women related not necessarily children. I think for the sales person it could help them because you can put their catalog and cards on the display. My friend who sells thirty one probably has a ton of stuff she bought for $5 that she could donate if I can convince her - her daughter goes to our school too!

Will home vendor companies like pampered chef, scentsy, thirtyone etc. donate (on the corporate level) or do you have to go through one someone locally who sells it?
Thanks!

I am having luck with the direct sales companies. I go on their websites and find a local person then tell them I'm organizing a silent auction - and I also tell them we are planning a mom's expo (which is true). So they help me and later hopefully we will pay it back. So today I got a bag of items from party lite and I'm expecting stella and dot and pampered chef too.

Also we've asked some parents for unwanted new items - someone's junk is another persons treasure. Today i got a bag full of art projects that had never been used. It will make a rainy day basket for someone.