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Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions.
What is Market Money?
Market Money is grocery store gift cards.
We all eat, so we all spend money at the grocery store. That makes participating in the Market Money fundraising program an obvious choice for just about everyone. Market Money is a great fundraising program because you raise money for the school without spending any extra money or buying anything that you might not otherwise buy.
When you buy $100 of Market Money, you get $100 of grocery store gift cards from the store(s) of your choice.
How much money does Cherry Preschool get from Market Money?
Cherry generally earns just over 4% of your Market Money purchases because the stores sell us the gift cards at a discount. Specifically, we earn 5% on Market Money from Whole Foods, 4% on Market Money from Jewel and Dominicks, and 2% from Sam's Club. Given the distribution of our orders, our typical return in any given month is slightly more than 4.35%.
Which grocery stores participate in the Market Money program?
Dominicks, Jewel, Sam's Club and Whole Foods participate in Cherry's Market Money program.
What denominations do the Market Money gift cards come in?
Market Money gift cards from Jewel, Dominicks, Wild Oats and Whole Foods are available in denominations of $25 and $100.
How do the gift cards work?
Gift cards from Jewel, Dominicks, Sam's Club and Whole Foods work just like a bank debit card but without a PIN to remember. Keep them in your wallet and use them instead of your cash, check or credit card to pay for your groceries at the register. You may combine two or more gift cards to pay your bill, or you may pay part of the bill with gift cards and the rest with cash, check or credit card.
With gift cards, you don't have to worry about getting change. The card will simply retain any unused balance for your next trip to the store. To help you keep track of how much money is left on your partially used gift cards, we place a sticker on each card for you to write in the remaining balance. The remaining balance on the last card used for a purchase will also be shown at the bottom of your register receipt.
How do I enroll in the Market Money fundraising program?
To enroll, just complete an enrollment contract and drop it off in the Market Money mailbox right outside the school office.
When can I enroll in the Market Money fundraising program?
You can enroll in Market Money today, tomorrow, next week, or anytime! Market Money continues throughout the year, so you can join us any time. Generally, orders must be received by the 25th of the month to be included in the next month's distribution.
Are there restrictions on when or how I spend my Market Money?
No! You may use your Market Money any time of any day. You may use your card to pay for prescriptions. You may not use your card to pay for other gift cards sold in the stores.
Does Market Money expire?
Market Money cards are good for a period of one year.
How often can I buy Market Money?
When you enroll in Cherry's Market Money program, you agree to buy the same amount of Market Money each month. You can, however, change your order at any time or ask us to skip a month.
What is the average Market Money order?
Our average Market Money order is about $280 per month, with a range in orders from $25 to $800 per month. Any level of participation is welcome and appreciated! But beware, once you start using Market Money, you may feel guilty when you run out of Market Money and have to use your credit card to pay for the balance of your groceries! To rid yourself of such guilt, just give us a call to increase your order.
My cash flow is tight, how can I participate in Market Money?
Cash flow is a problem for many families at Cherry. One very good thing about Market Money is that we will never cash your check or post an auto-debit to your account until on or after the Market Money distribution day. That means that your money will stay in your account until the time that your Market Money is available for you to use at the store.
You can minimize problems with your cash flow by starting with a small order (say 1/4 to 1/2 of your total monthly groceries) and then gradually add to your order in $25 increments. We are thrilled to have you participate at any level, and we don't mind frequent order changes.
How do I pay for my Market Money?
There are 3 ways to pay for your Market Money:
Auto-debit: Auto-debit is the preferred payment method. With auto-debit, you agree to let Cherry Preschool debit the amount of your Market Money order from your checking or savings account each month. With auto-debit you don't have to worry about remembering to send in your check each month, and we don't have to chase you down if you forget to send in your check. To help you remember to balance your checkbook, we include an auto-debit reminder notice with your Market Money order each month. Auto-debits will be posted to your account on or after the distribution date each month.
Post-dated checks: You may submit any number of post-dated checks throughout the year. Checks should be made payable to "Cherry Preschool" and dated the 15th of each month. Checks can be mailed to the school or left in the Market Money mailbox just outside the school's office. We will hold onto your checks and deposit them on or after the distribution date each month. Giving us post-dated checks is essentially the same as using the auto-debit option except that you don't have to worry about an electronic funds transfer bouncing (if you are wary of the safety or security of technology). As with the auto-debit option, we will include a reminder notice with your Market Money order each month to help you remember to balance your checkbook. When we have used the last post-dated check that you had given us, we will remind you to send more.
Monthly checks: You may submit a check each month for your Market Money order. Checks should be made payable to "Cherry Preschool" and are due at the school by the 15th of the month. Checks can be mailed to the school or left in the Market Money mailbox just outside the school's office. We will not deposit your check until on or after the distribution date each month, but we need the check by the 15th so that we may properly distribute paid and unpaid Market Money orders. We will include a payment reminder (i.e. a bill) for the following month with your Market Money order each month. If you provide us with an e-mail address, we can send out a payment reminder via e-mail closer to the time your payment is due.
Why can't I use a credit card to pay for my Market Money?
The credit card transaction fee eats up almost all of Cherry's profits from Market Money, so it just isn't practical for us to accept credit card payments.
We realize that many families prefer to use credit cards for their groceries in order to earn bonus points or miles. If you fall into this category, consider this: you probably earn 1% (maybe 2% if you have a really amazing bonus program) for groceries bought with your credit card, but Cherry could earn up to 5% on the same purchase if you bought your groceries with Market Money instead. If you use your airline miles credit card to buy $400 of groceries each month, you could get a free ticket within the continental US once you have bought 5-8 years worth of groceries. If you use your gas credit card to buy $400 of groceries each month, you would get $4 of gas at the end of the month. However, if you use Market Money to pay for your $400 of groceries, Cherry would immediately earn $20 per month that can be used right away to improve your child's educational experience. Isn't that a trade worth making?!?
When do I get my Market Money?
Market Money is usually distributed on the Monday (or Tuesday, if Monday is a school holiday) that falls closest to the 20th of the month. Please refer to the Cherry Calendar for exact dates.
How do I get my Market Money?
If we have received your payment by the distribution date:
For families of students, Market Money will be placed in the cubby/backpack of your oldest child currently at Cherry unless you notify us to place your Market Money in a different child's cubby/backpack or to hold it for you in the school office.
For staff, Market Money will be placed in your staff mailbox.
If we have NOT received your payment by the distribution date:
Market Money will be held in the office for you to pick up when you bring in your payment. We will place a reminder note in your child's cubby/backpack, but it is your responsibility to pick up your Market Money from the office. For security reasons, we can only put Market Money in a cubby/backpack on the distribution date.
For alumni and summer families:
Market Money will be delivered to your home within 3 days of the distribution date. If you prefer to pick up your Market Money at Cherry each month, please notify us. Alumni orders must be paid on time in order to receive home delivery. Please consider paying by either auto-debit or post-dated checks so that your home delivery is not interrupted. If we have not received your payment by the distribution date, we will notify you, and you will be responsible for picking up your Market Money at the school when you bring in your payment.
I'm worried I'll lose my Market Money. What can I do?
If you are worried about your Market Money making the journey from your child's cubby to your wallet safely, just let us know and we will gladly hold your order in the school office for you to pick up personally.
If you are worried about losing your Market Money once you get it home, you can make a record of the serial numbers on your gift cards.
Why did I receive gift cards from Safeway and Wal-Mart?
Safeway and Wal-Mart are the parent companies for Dominicks and Sam's Club respectively.
What if I am given the wrong Market Money?
The utmost care is taken to fill orders correctly. If you feel that there is an error in your Market Money order, it is your responsibility to notify us of the error within 1 week of the distribution date.
Can I change or cancel my Market Money order?
Yes! You may enroll in Market Money at any time during the year by submitting an Enrollment Contract. You may also increase your order, decrease your order or change the stores in your order at any time during the year by submitting a new Enrollment Contract or by sending an This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Order changes must be received by the 25th of the month in order to be effective for the next month's order. You may have us suspend your order for one or more months if you will be out of town or if you have simply accumulated too much Market Money in your wallet. And, of course, you may cancel your Market Money order at any time during the year.
Does the Market Money program continue during the summer?
Yes! Market Money is a year-round fundraiser. Near the end of the school year, you will receive a reminder notice about summer participation. Summer participation is automatic for all 3 months unless you tell us otherwise. The Summer Enrollment Contract gives you the opportunity to participate for 1, 2 or all 3 summer months, depending on your family's vacation schedule. Families enrolled in Cherry's summer camp will receive their Market Money in their child's cubby/backpack in June and July. Families not enrolled in camp will receive home delivery during June and July. All families will receive home delivery in August, since the school is closed all month.
Can I still buy Market Money after my child graduates from Cherry?
Yes! Besides referring new families to Cherry, the greatest compliment you can give us is to continue to help in our fundraising efforts. You may participate in the Market Money program as an alumni family either between the times your children are at Cherry or after they have all graduated. Alumni participants get their Market Money delivered to their homes each month, so all you need to do is sit back and work on your grocery list!
How does home delivery for alumni families work?
If we have received your payment by the distribution date, your Market Money will be delivered to your home within 3 days of the distribution date. If you are not home when our volunteer delivers your order, she will leave it in your mailbox and will call to notify you of the delivery so that you are sure not to miss it. If you would prefer that your order be left someplace other than your mailbox if you are not home, please specify this on your enrollment contract or call the Market Money Chairperson prior to the distribution date.
If we have NOT received your payment by the distribution date, your Market Money will be held in the school office for you to pick up when you bring in your payment. We will call to notify you if we are holding your order at the school. To help you out, if we have not received your payment by the 15th of the month, we will attempt to contact you so that you have time to mail your payment to the school before the distribution date and still receive home delivery. Please consider using either auto-debit or post-dated checks for your payment so that your home delivery is not interrupted.
Of course, if you prefer to pick up your Market Money at the school rather than receiving home delivery, just let us know!
Can my friends or relatives buy Market Money?
Yes! Anyone can order Market Money from Cherry Preschool. If friends or family who are not alumni of the school order Market Money, they would have to either pick up their order at the school or arrange to have their order distributed to you and then pick it up from you. Please remember that Market Money is essentially cash, so it is not a good idea to send it through the mail. Cherry Preschool will not mail Market Money to anyone and cannot be responsible for Market Money mailed by third parties.
How can I protect my Market Money from loss or theft?
The most important thing you can do is to get your Market Money out of your child's backpack promptly. As a busy parent, it's very easy to forget to empty your child's backpack every day, but this is where we run into the most trouble with Market Money. We will help to remind you by putting signs up on the front and side doors at school during the distribution week. You can help by marking your calendar with the Market Money distribution dates and setting a reminder on your computer or PDA. This is especially important for parents who have someone else pick their children up from school, since you won't see the reminder signs.
Your Market Money gift cards are essentially cash, so you need to protect them in the same way you would protect your cash. Keep them in your wallet or out of sight in a safe place in the house. You can protect yourself further by keeping a record of the serial numbers on your cards. If a card is lost and you have the serial number, the store can deactivate the original card and give you a new card loaded with the balance remaining on the lost card at the time the loss was reported. Unfortunately, there are too many cards for us to keep track of the serial numbers distributed to each customer.
Who administers the Market Money program?
