Shop To Earn Program Benefits School-business Partnerships Of Long Island, Inc.

Dec. 9, 2009 - PRLog -- Melville, NY — School-Business Partnerships of Long Island, Inc. (SBPLI) announces an online shopping program in which shoppers can purchase their holiday gifts over the Internet and help the organization raise much-needed funds to financially support the robotics competitions they sponsor.

ShopToEarn is a unique online program in which shoppers can help SBPLI by making purchases through the ShopToEarn Web site. Up to 50% of the purchases are automatically donated to SBPLI. There is no cost to participate. Log on to http://www.shoptoearn.net/2partner2, then click on the “Shop Online” link at the top of the Web page. A portal will open up that will list more than 1,000 popular retailers and travel Web sites. Each retailer and travel site will list a percentage of the purchase that SBPLI will receive.

In addition, ShopToEarn lists more than 300 “green” retailers that sell earth-friendly products. In order to shop at these green retailers’ Web sites, you must sign up as a preferred customer. This allows the retailers to pay SBPLI immediately.

The money SBPLI receives from the ShopToEarn program will go to the continuance of its robotics programs. “The ShopToEarn program is a wonderful way to financially support our robotics competitions and programs,” said Fred Breithut, President/Founder, SBPLI. “This allows people to do their holiday shopping online while helping our wonderful organization.”

Each year, SBPLI sponsors the Long Island FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition (FRC) at Hofstra University. “Sponsoring this event is not an easy feat, nor is it an inexpensive one,” said William Hodrinsky, Director, SBPLI. “We encourage everyone who plans to shop online to utilize the ShopToEarn program. The money will help sustain a worthwhile program that will produce the next generation of scientists and engineers.”

For more information, please contact SBPLI at (631) 692-2962.

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SBPLI was founded in 1984 by Fred Breithut with the goal of developing partnerships between local high schools and businesses that would provide students with practical experience and curriculum development, while helping the business community develop its future workforce. Over 100 partnerships have been formed. In 1999, Long Island FIRST was formed for the purpose of developing a Long Island Regional FIRST Competition. In 2000, 14 high school teams participated. The Long Island Regional has since grown with 47 teams participating in 2009. In January 2010, registered teams will be provided with supplies and the competition's game rules via satellite from U.S. FIRST’s home office.