Hartford Toner’s Cartridges for Kids Program Celebrates Five Years
EAST WINDSOR, Conn. – Hartford Toner’s Cartridges for Kids program, which marks its fifth anniversary this fall, purchases used printer and fax cartridges from schools and then arranges for their safe refurbishment. As a result, some 20 Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) at Connecticut schools have received thousands of dollars from the program.
Cartridges for Kids is a recycling and school sponsorship program established by John and Cathy Collins of Hartford Toner & Cartridge. The company contributes money to participating schools’ PTOs for each used printer or fax toner cartridge collected. So far this year, the company has collected an average of 600 cartridges per month and expects to exceed last year’s contributions of nearly $13,000.
Schools are paid a minimum of 25 cents for each "spent" cartridge, though many receive as much as $14 per unit.
"Cartridges for Kids is a model program," said company President John Collins. "Schools receive much-needed cash, used toner cartridges are kept out of landfills, and the high volume of cartridges collected reduces recycling costs."
"Our schools earned nearly $2,000 with Cartridges for Kids this year so far," said Cathy Simonelli, co-treasurer of Broadbrook Elementary School and East Windsor Middle School. "The proceeds pay for assemblies, field trips and other extras the schools can’t afford," she says.
Fifth grade students at Broadbrook School reaped the benefits of Cartridges for Kids when they met the challenge to read a collective 20,000 pages. The group far exceeded its goal, reading an astounding 50,000 pages. The PTO used proceeds from Cartridges for Kids to reward the students by contributing to a trip to see the premiere of "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."
Hartford Toner & Cartridge is a retailer of new and used printers, fax machines and low-cost, high-quality compatible toner cartridges. In 1997, Hartford Toner earned the designation as an HP-authorized sales and service center.
Contact Hartford Toner & Cartridge at www.hartfordtoner.com.
This article originally appeared in the October 2004 issue of Recharger.