Scrip

Click here for Scrip Order Form

Click here for a list of scrip available

Did you hear? You have helped raise over $3000 by participating in the Scrip program at St Josephs. This program was started in May 2010 and we are really excited about the success so far. Scrip... it's the right way to shop!!

What is scrip?
Scrip is another name for "gift cards" but don't just think of it as a gift card. Use them for your weekly shopping to benefit our parish.. It is a dollar for dollar program. St. Joseph's purchases the cards at a discount from a national Scrip company and local individual retailers. You purchase the gift card (scrip) at the face value, and the parish receives the difference.

Why should I purchase Scrip?
Our parish is a vibrant, growing community. We want to continue the great programs we have, and create new ones. To do this, we need to raise funds. This program offers a way for everyone to participate.

What Scrip cards are available?
We try to have the following card available at the table in the vestibule after all masses: Basha's, Fry's, Albertson's, Walmart, Safeway, Home Depot, Kohl's, and different ones applicable to the seasons. There are hundreds of cards available by using our pre-order form and the link above.

How do I use Scrip?
Before you come to mass, think about where you will shop for the week and approximately how much you will spend. You purchase the cards from us for those stores and amounts. At checkout, you use the Scrip card instead of how you regularly pay. It's that simple!

How will the profits be used?
Stewardship is about taking care of the parish. There are many projects that we'd like to complete, or that must be done. A few examples are improving the outdoor grounds and the kitchen. All profits will go towards these projects.

FAQ

STOP at the Scrip Table. Thank you to everyone who is participating in the Scrip program. Here are some answers to questions we’ve been asked:

How does this work? How does the church make money? We buy the cards at a discounted rate (it varies per store). We sell them to you at face value. The difference between what we buy them for and the face value is our “profit”. For instance, Red Lobster is 9%, so we buy the card for $22.75 and sell it to you for $25, which is a $2.25 profit. That may not sound like much, but if we sold 10 cards a week, every week of the year, the profit is $1,170!!!

Are the cards refillable? Yes and no. They are all refillable, but we only receive money back from Frys and Bashas. They send us a check once a quarter. If you refill any other card, the church does not receive the funds.

How do I refill Frys and Bashas? Before you check out, tell the cashier that you want to refill your card. They will ring up that sale first. You can put as much as you want on your card. Then purchase your groceries and swipe your Scrip card. Please note, if you fill it at Customer Service, for some reason there is a “lag” time and the funds might not be available immediately. If you fill it at the register, then there is not.

Why don’t you take credit cards? We make an average of 4%. Credit card processing fees average 3% or more. This would result in little or no profit

But I really want to use my credit card. You can! When you refill your Frys or Bashas card, you can pay with your credit card at the register.

What forms of payment do you take? Cash or check only. We hear from people that they never remember their checkbook. Stop. Right now. Go find your checkbook and put two or three blank ones in your wallet. That way you’ll always have one on hand.

You don’t have the cards I want. We have order forms at the table with a list of all the cards we can order. Turn in the form and payment and we do our best to have it the following weekend. In a hurry – buy a Frys card from us and then go to the store and pick from their kiosk. We still make the 6% on the Frys card. If we get enough requests for a certain store, we will add it to our mix.

Where does the money go? The church general fund. We recently donated to the kitchen renovation. The money is held in a reserve until a need arises.