Montecito Union School finished among the top 200 earning groups nationally in the recent Vons “10% Goes Back to Schools” program.

As one of the top 200 groups, Vons contributed an additional $1,000 to the school, for a total of $3,225.21.

In 2009, through this program alone, the Safeway family of stores donated more than $3.4 million to nonprofit groups across the nation.

Montecito Union School plans to use its eScrip funds to provide scholarships for after-school enrichment classes, healthy hot lunches and field trips to students who wouldn’t be able to participate without the scholarships. In addition, eScrip money supports more than 30 programs that the Montecito Union PTA contributes to throughout the school year.

“We appreciate all that Vons does and for their ongoing commitment to education and our local schools,” said Tracy Conway, Montecito Union School PTA president. “Because of Vons’ participation in the eScrip program and our commitment to sign up all of our school families with eScrip, we have the most successful booster program in the region.”

The Safeway “10% Goes Back to Schools” program allowed schools to earn 10 percent of items purchased by school supporters from participating manufacturers this past summer.

In addition to the “10% Goes Back to Schools” program, the eScrip program delivers marketing programs that bring retailers, manufacturers and service providers forward in support of education of youth. To date, the eScrip program has generated more than $220 million in merchant contributions to schools and organizations across the country.

— Lori Dyer is the development director for Electronic Scrip Inc.