There have been some changes to the eScrip and SHARES programs (in which, for shoppers who are registered, a designated school or organization like UUCB automatically receives a percentage donation). Safeway has dropped out of eScrip, and the SHARES program (Lucky, SaveMart and FoodMaxx) has merged with eScrip, so you don’t need to carry a SHARES card any more. You can just register your phone number on the eScrip.com website. For Piedmont Grocery and Diablo Foods you register a credit or debit card.

Most importantly these days, you can get money sent to UUCB through your online shopping (including for travel) if you do it right. On eScrip, there’s an “online shopping mall” (shopping.escrip.com/), and if you download and install the “ForgetMeNot” app you’ll be reminded, when you go to other online retail sites, to click if you want a percentage to go to UUCB. Be sure to download the right version of ForgetMeNot for your browser.

We recently suggested shopping on Amazon through Amazon Smile (smile.amazon.com/), but that only yields a 0.5% donation to UUCB. If you shop on Amazon through the eScrip mall, they say UUCB gets 1.2%. (Amazon does not participate in the ForgetMeNot program, nor do Target, Macy’s, and a few others.) It’s a challenge to remember not to go to amazon.com directly, but the church will benefit considerably if those of us who use Amazon change our habits. There’s a “Shop Amazon” button right at the top of shopping.escrip.com.

If you shop locally at Pharmaca, please go to escrip.com and register your Pharmaca card (you can get one at the store if you don’t already have one, and it will earn you 3% rebates on all non-pharmacy purchases).