Tuition Reduction Incentive Program (TRIP)


What is the TRIP?

TRIP stands for Tuition Reduction Incentive Program. It’s fundraising that doesn’t cost you any extra!

The TRIP fundraising program can be used by school families to offset the cost of tuition. School supporters can use TRIP to donate to the school’s general operating fund. School families must fill out a TRIP/SCRIP Registration form if you would like to use your earnings for tuition reduction. If no registration form is on file with the TRIP coordinator, the earnings will be donated to the general operating fund.

Three times a year school families receive a letter from the TRIP coordinator that tells them how much they have earned. The family may choose to write their next tuition check less the amount they have in their TRIP account, or they may save their TRIP money to pay for registration. The harder you work, the more money you earn. We had one family earn nearly a thousand dollars in one year!

There are three parts to TRIP: the Kroger Plus card, the Meijer Community Rewards card, and gift cards, sometimes called scrip cards.

Kroger

Based on the purchases you make, Kroger makes a donation to SOTL which is deposited into your tuition account. Your friends, neighbors, and co-workers can sign up and direct their funds to you. To re-enroll (which must be done every May) or sign up for the first time for the Kroger Community Rewards Program, click on Kroger Re-Enrollment Instructions. Be sure to e-mail their names to our TRIP coordinator, Tracy McCall, so that you get credit instead of the general school fund.

Meijer Community Rewards

Meijer also offers a Community Rewards program, but you must get their credit card. When you use their credit card, 1% of your purchases are donated to SOTL and deposited into your TRIP account. Purchases made with cash or a PIN-based debit card and a swiped Meijer card earn 0.5%. If you already have a Meijer One card, call 800-962-7011 and enroll with the SOTL organization code of 505736. Read more at Meijer Community Rewards.

 

Shop With Scrip

The third part of the program is purchasing gift cards, also called scrip cards. When gift cards are purchased through our program, a percentage of the sale is donated back to that family’s TRIP account. You may purchase cards for your personal use or to give as gifts. Some popular cards are Target, WalMart, Home Depot, Kohls, Little Caesars, other restaurants, and gas stations. Families will earn more money if they use gift cards to make their normal purchases.

  • Paper order forms can be found by each of the SCRIP Drop-Off boxes (by the preschool and elementary classrooms and by the church mailboxes). After selecting the gift cards you would like, drop off the form with a check in any of the SCRIP Drop-Off boxes by Monday night.
  • You may also choose your gift cards at www.shopwithscrip.com. Be sure to use SOTL Enrollment Code 97123B443748.You may then print out your form and put it in a SCRIP Drop-Off box with your check attached.
  • Online payment is also available. “PrestoPay” has a $0.39 fee per transaction. PrestoPay does take a few days for the initial set-up and verification.
  • Different from paying online is ScripNow. ScripNow is the quickest way to purchase scrip for you or a friend. If you use PrestoPay you can get the gift certificates in just minutes. If you are paying by check, your scrip will be available the morning after scrip orders are due (Tuesday) instead of waiting until the delivery day (Friday). You can read more about ScripNow here.
  • Orders are placed September through May, at least every other Monday; June through August, orders are placed once a month.
  • All orders must be submitted and paid for (either online or by check in the drop-off boxes) by Monday night.
  • Orders are ready on Friday. School families have the option of having their orders sent home with their kids. You may also pick up your order at the church office.