Are You Kidding Me? School Fundraiser Profits Anger Parents

INDIANAPOLIS -- How much money does a child's school really get when holding one of those familiar fundraisers and how much money goes instead to a company most have probably never heard of?

Parents were upset to learn that, in some cases, only about half the money they spend on candy sale fundraisers actually goes back to their child's school.

The school itself often only gets about 50 cents of $1 spent on a candy bar from a school fundraiser, sometimes only 40 cents.

"They're using children to peddle their product," one parent told 6News' Dan Spehler. "I've been frustrated with the fundraising efforts of my child's school for that very reason. I think the companies get a lot more of the money than the school actually does."

"I would hope all of the money would go to the schools," another parent said. "I would think it would be better to just donate the money, not bother with candy."

A spokesman for Easy-Fundraising-Ideas.com told 6News that his company's profit margins are small.

After the cost of the candy itself, the spokesman claimed his company only makes about 8 cents on every dollar in profit from most candy sales, while pointing out that other types of non-candy fundraisers can bring the school much bigger profits.

The spokesman also said that some candy producers, such as Mars Inc., which makes the ever popular M&M, have decided not to continue participating with the fundraising programs.

Some parents think candy fundraisers aren't worth the cost, opting instead for less commercial, "non-project" fundraisers.

"I think there are a lot more creative ways to fundraise than selling products for another company," one parent said.

Watch 6News "Good Morning Indiana" at 6 a.m. Tuesday for an interview with Sharon Wise, Indiana PTA Central Region Vice President, on this issue.