Penny Drive or Penny Wars

Where will it be?

Figure out where you will set up your penny drive. In your cafeteria? In the school’s main office? In local businesses? You can have as many jars as you want in as many places as you want.

Make them look pretty

Decorate the jars to attract attention, but be sure that the MAIN FOCUS is that all you are asking for is a penny and that the money is going to a good cause. But of course, tell them they can donate any coins (or dollars bills!) 

Let people know about it

Tell friends and family to keep an eye out for your jars. Ask them to tell others too!

Set a date…and a goal

On the jars, say when the drive will be until, and what your goal is. If people know you are working towards a certain number and that they have a set amount of time to donate, they may be willing to drop their spare change now instead of tomorrow.

And the results are…

Let people know how much money was raised and tell them that you sent that amount to the charity. Leave little signs where you had jars so the people who donated will know that their good deed was appreciated!

SPICE IT UP: PENNY WARS!

 
In your school, make each grade a team, and set up one jar for each team. The way the game works is:

• 1 penny = +1 point
• 1 nickle = -5 points
• 1 dime = -10 points
• 1 quarter = -25 points
• 1 dollar = -100 points

The goal is to put pennies in your team’s jar, and put other coins/dollars in the other teams jar. Pennies are good points, while any other amount are bad points (that is, the value of the coin or dollar added is the value that will be subtracted from the team’s points)

For example, 40 pennies, 2 nickles, and 1 dime in a jar means +(40 pennies x 1 cent) - (2 nickles x 5 cents) - (1 dime x 10 cents) = 40 - 10 - 10 = 20 points. 

See which grade wins, and make sure you get people excited and competitive!