Garden Center to Donate Portion of Sales to Beautify Schools

For the past six years, the owners of the have been giving back to their community in the form of beautification projects at Bloomingdale's three schools.

Each school year, the Glenwild Avenue business advertises that if parents save their receipts, 10 percent of customers' sales from September through June will be donated to the , and

"The schools will earn 10 percent back to beautify the school grounds or spend on gardening projects," Glenwild employee Pam Maggio said.

This fall, customers have the chance to have more of their money donated to the schools as 10 percent of proceeds from fall decoration kits sold now through mid-November will also go towards the schools.

The approved fliers announcing the donation program to be sent home at their meeting Monday night. Glenwild Garden Center Co-Owner Jodie Bross said the fliers are the leading way the business can reach parents and customers about the program.

Bross said she started the donation program while her daughter was a student at the Martha B. Day School and she noticed no flowers outside the school entrance. Bross asked the principal if they could plant some, but the principal said there was no money in the budget to do so.

"First of all, we're a community garden center. I wanted to be part of the community, I wanted to help out," Bross said.

Bross said she also wanted to get the business' name out in the community, so by starting the donation program, it was a win-win.

In the first few years, Bross said the money went only to the Martha B. Day School but the program is now expanded to include all three Bloomingdale schools with customers being able to choose which school the money goes to. Bross said that one year, over $1,000 in receipts was turned in with hundreds of dollars donated to the schools.

While the donated money comes at the end of the year, Bross donates her time year-round to plant flowers and help with gardening projects. Flowers found at the entrance of each school are also donated through the program.

"This program has been paying for the flowers in the barrels for years now," she said.

Bross said watching the program grow and continue each year has been worthwhile for her and for Glenwild.

"It's just been really wonderful," she said. "I love having that kind of connection with the schools so it's been nice for me as well."

In order for 10 percent of proceeds from the fall fundraiser to benefit the schools, customers must bring the flier (see attached) to Glenwild Garden Center during their purchase. For the receipt program, customers should save their receipts from Glenwild Garden Center and drop them off in an envelope to the main office of the Bloomingdale school of their choice with the words "Glenwild Garden Center Receipt Program" on the envelope.