TWB - Together We're Better Certificates

Here's how you can earn money to benefit Annunciation:

1. Buy grocery and gift cards from Together We're Better (TWB). Click Here for the list of certificates that we carry for groceries, entertainment, retail, and restaurants.

2. Sign up with the eScrip program.

Plan your everyday and special occasion purchases through TWB. You purchase gift cards, groceries, or online items through TWB at face value -- so no additional cost to you. A percentage of each purchase is credited back to Annunciation. The amount of the credit varies depending on the merchant.

In the spring of 2008, parishes participating in Together We're Better and similar scrip programs were notified that we are no longer able to use this program to allow families to earn money toward book fees, tuition, or PSR fees. But please continue to support TWB, and we will continue to use the profits toward items that benefit the school and/or parish.

There are 2 ways to participate:

Purchase gift cards from TWB after weekend Masses. We have many cards in stock, available immediately for sale. If they are not in stock, they can be ordered and be here within 1-2 weeks. Call Katie Krobath (962-9283) to order gift cards or to purchase them during the week. See the order form on the Together We're Better link on the Annunciation web site for a list of gift cards that are in stock or can be ordered. You can buy cards for Dierbergs, Shop n Save, and Sappington Market from TWB, as well as many restaurant and retailer cards.

Sign up with the eScrip program. Get an eScrip card from TWB or from Schnucks customer service. Register the card at www.escrip.com and designate group ID 6469761 "Annunciation Parents Association" as the beneficiary organization. Then present the card at checkout whenever you shop at Schnucks. This is very convenient, because with Schnucks eScrip you don't have to purchase gift cards in advance. You pay for your Schnucks purchases any way that you want.

* DID YOU KNOW? You can also register your Macy's charge card with eScrip. Register it today, because it takes several weeks for the registration to take effect. Then, any time you use your Macy's card, the parish will earn a percentage of your purchase. This is super-convenient. You can register some other cards as well. See the eScrip website for details.

Here are some examples of what you can do to support Annunciation through the TWB program:

GROCERIES

Dierbergs, Shop n Save, Freddie's Market, & Sappington Market: Buy gift cards from TWB before you go shopping. The parish earns 4-5% for each of these cards that you purchase. So if you purchase $100 per week for 52 weeks, the parish will earn at least $200, just from you buying your family's groceries!

Schnucks: Schnucks no longer sells gift cards. Instead, pick up a Schnucks eScrip card and register it at www.eScrip.com with group ID 6469761 "Annunciation Parents Association" designated as the beneficiary. Ask your family and friends to do the same. At checkout, have them scan the eScrip card for Annunciation to get credit for your purchase. With the Schnucks eScrip program, the parish will earn:

* ½% credit for the first $300 in Schnucks purchases each month, plus
* 1% credit for the next $300 in Schnucks purchases that month, plus
* 1.5% for the next $399. There is no credit for the amount of Schnucks purchases over $999 in a given month.

The Schnucks program earns a lower credit than the Dierbergs, Shop n Save, Freddie's, and Sappington gift cards, but it is very convenient because it lets you pay for your groceries any way that you want; and family & friends can contribute their Schnucks eScrip credits as well.

EATING OUT

Fast Food: Buy gift cards from TWB and have them ready when you are on the go. We keep many on hand such as McDonalds, Burger King, Imo's, Papa John's, Subway, and Starbucks. Others are available on the order form.

* Most of these are in $5 or $10 denominations, so they also make great STOCKING STUFFERS or KRIS KRINGLE gifts.

Nicer: Buy gift cards from TWB & then head to lots of local restaurants. We usually have in-stock Applebees, California Pizza Kitchen, Chevy's, Casa Gallardo, Macaroni Grill, O'Charleys, Pasta House, Red Lobster/Olive Garden, St. Louis Bread Co, Sweet Tomatoes, and TGI Friday's. Others such as PF Chang, Annie Gunn's, Longhorn, and Bartolino's, are available on the order form.

SHOPPING! So many options...

Gift Cards: Pick your industry! We have in stock gift cards for

* Department Stores (Sams/WalMart)
* Electronics (Best Buy, iTunes)
* Home Improvement (Lowes, Home Depot)
* Clothing & Accessories (Claire's, Eddie Bauer, Gap/Old Navy/Banana Republic, JCPenney, Kohls, Lands End, Macys, Sports Authority, TJ Maxx/Marshalls)
* Entertainment (AMC Theaters, Barnes & Noble, Blockbuster Movies, Borders)
* For the Home (Bath & Body Works)
* Prescriptions & Convenience (Walgreens)
* Gas (Shell)

And there are many, many other gift cards available on the order form. Gift cards make great presents for Christmas, graduation, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, and birthdays.

Forgot to buy the gift cards? Register Lands End and Macy's (and others) charge cards on eScrip.com and you don't need gift cards! You can't beat the convenience - register these charge cards once on eScrip.com, and the parish will earn credits EVERY TIME you use them after that!

* DID YOU KNOW? You can buy Kohl's and JC Penney's gift cards before OR after you shop there. If you forgot to buy them before shopping, simply charge your purchases to your Kohl's or JC Penney's charge cards. Then you can buy the gift cards later and use them to pay your Kohl's or JC Penney's charge card bill.

CAN'T DECIDE WHAT TO BUY?

Purchase a TWB Gift Certificate: Give aTWB Gift Certificate to teachers, coaches, friends, and helpers. Or give them as birthday, graduation, or holiday gifts. The person receiving the certificate gets to redeem the certificate for whatever TWB gift cards they prefer.

WHAT DOES TWB DO WITH THEIR PROFITS?

Together We're Better donated $5,000 to the new playground last year, and $5,100 toward the new reading textbooks for grades K-1-2 this year. We also funded donations to the parish auction, teacher Christmas and birthday gifts, parish picnic, and other events. This is a great way to raise money for Annunciation by just using the TWB channels for your everyday purchases for groceries, leisure, entertainment, home improvement, etc.

CONTACTS

For information or to order gift cards or gift certificates, contact:

* Katie Krobath (314-962-9283)
* Jeanne Moore (314-968-9240)
* Mary Anderson (314-962-1299)

THANK YOU for your support.