A locally owned grocery store is raising money to help fund educational field trips for Dallas ISD students this upcoming school year.
Elrod’s Cost Plus Supermarket, which has six locations in the DFW area, set up its Dallas ISD Field Trip Fund after a teacher from W.A. Blair Elementary School contacted them. The teacher asked Elrod’s about potentially donating hot dogs for a fundraiser at the school. After talking with the teacher, Julia Johnson, Elrod’s marketing manager, said the family owned grocery chain decided to go a step further and set up a donation fund to help finance Dallas ISD field trips.
“We love to support the families around our stores and neighborhood,” she said. “Those are the people who shop with us, and we consider them part of our family.”
Customers at Elrod’s can contribute to the Field Trip Fund when they purchase their groceries at the store through the end of August. Meanwhile, Elrod’s has also solicited donations from companies—MoneyGram, Wrigley, P&G, General Mills, Mazola, Nestle, Alen, Blackburn Syrup, Tuny Tuna, Michael Foods, Malto-O-Meal, Kraft, and La Huerta are the participants, to date—to contribute to the fund. Elrod’s so far has collected $25,000 in donations from the sponsors.
Elrod’s is scheduled to hold an event Saturday, Aug. 15 at its location at 1314 South Buckner to promote donations to the fund. Event activities include:
- Dance performance (folklórico) 12-1pm
- Clown show 3-4 pm
- Vendor samples
- Product demos
- Face painting and animal balloons 1-4 p.m.
Jane Didear, Dallas ISD volunteer and partnerships coordinator, said partnerships with businesses such as Elrod’s are what help make Dallas ISD great.
“Our partnerships with businesses and organizations make a real difference for schools throughout the district – empowering them to do more for students,” Didear said. “Elrod’s Field Trip Fund will provide for real world learning experiences, cultural enrichment and help students connect the dots between what’s happening in the classroom and across town.”
Click here to see Elrod’s blog on the Field Trip Fund and learn more.
