What's Ahead Scrip centers are constantly looking to expand and improve their programs. According to co-founder Lisa Ross, Clients call us on a regular basis asking us to get their local hardware store, grocery store, etc. We can t carry all these retailers, so we ve come up with a new program to allow our clients to approach their local merchants and ask them to accept Neighborhood Scrip. But, as with most paper-based institutions, the next big step for scrip will likely be electronic. Each of the country s scrip centers is preparing for a potentially paperless future.
Much scrip already looks more like credit cards than traditional gift certificates.
The National Scrip Center recently unveiled its own co-branded credit card, allowing scrip users to send automatic rewards to schools with every credit card purchase. As eScrip Executive Vice President Joanne Remillard puts it, We want to deliver a convenient program that fits the lifestyle of busy parents and volunteers. Indeed, the goal of all new scrip efforts is to reduce the administration burden on coordinators and supporters without adversely affecting earnings. Addison Elementary School in Palo Alto, California, has worked with paper scrip for about seven years and with eScrip for a year and a half. Our paper scrip program was set up with the effort of one very dedicated volunteer, says PTA treasurer and scrip coordinator Denise Pitsch.