General Mills Communications
763-764-6364
media.line@genmills.com
Edelman
Fiona O'Donnell
fiona.odonnell@edelman.com
The nostalgic “Saved by the Box Tops” campaign brings together iconic classmates, retro-inspired packaging and $300,000 in funding for schools nationwide.
MINNEAPOLIS — Box Tops for Education is heading back to Bayside High with the cast of “Saved by the Bell” to celebrate 30 years and nearly $1 billion raised for schools nationwide. General Mills, in partnership with Universal Products & Experiences, is reuniting the iconic cast for Saved by the Box Tops, a feel-good back-to-school campaign inspired by the beloved television series and the everyday impact of Box Tops for Education.
Now real-life parents, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Tiffani Thiessen, Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley Lauren are back together at Bayside High, this time celebrating how Box Tops for Education has helped support classrooms across the country for the past three decades and encouraging families and community members to get involved.
“Any time the four of us get back together, it feels just as fun as meeting up at our lockers back in the day,” said Gosselaar. “Since we're all parents now, getting to celebrate something that helps schools and students across the country makes it that much more meaningful.”
Bringing the campaign beyond the halls of Bayside, General Mills will award $10,000 each to 30 schools in need to help fund programs and resources for the upcoming 2026–2027 school year. Families can also join in by earning cash for their schools and scoring free snacks through eligible Box Tops purchases.
“I’ve always admired Box Tops for Education’s mission and its commitment to supporting students,” said Elizabeth Berkley Lauren. “Heading back to the hallways to help a new generation of students access meaningful resources for the year ahead makes being part of Saved by the Box Tops even more special.”
Since 1996, Box Tops for Education has helped families turn everyday grocery purchases into meaningful funding for their schools, contributing nearly $1 billion along the way. What began as a simple clip-and-send program has evolved into a modern digital platform, making it easier than ever to give back with a quick receipt scan.
“For 30 years, Box Tops for Education has helped schools access critical resources and opportunities to ensure students everywhere are set up for success,” said Blake Holman, Senior Director of Brand Building at General Mills. “Reaching this milestone is a chance to celebrate everything Box Tops has helped make possible for schools over the years while reminding families how easy it is to give back with the products already in their carts.”
The campaign comes to life through an ad campaign featuring the cast, and retro-inspired packaging on select General Mills products, including Annie’s and Cheerios.
“What I love about Box Tops is that it fits into routines families already have like buying snacks, packing lunches and getting ready for the back-to-school season,” said Thiessen. “It's nice knowing those everyday habits can also help give back.”
Parents can easily earn cash for their schools — and even score free snacks for their families — by scanning receipts from participating products, turning everyday grocery trips into real support.
“I grew up on Cheerios — my family used to call me the ‘cereal king,' so now as a parent being able to help families turn their own kids’ love of cereal into an opportunity to give back to schools is incredible,” said Lopez. “Fusing products I’ve loved since childhood with a reunion of some of my favorite people, made this experience special.”
Fans can learn more about Saved by the Box Tops, explore participating products and download the app at BoxTops4Education.com. Follow along on Box Tops For Education (@btfe) on Instagram for updates and more throughout the back-to-school season.
* Offer void in RI, CT, ND, NC and Miami Dade County. 18+, U.S. residents only. Scan receipt in the app within 14 days of purchase. Club snacks will earn a rebate up to $24.99. If more than one eligible free snack is purchased, the lowest value product will be refunded. Limit one (1) rebate/person. Reproduction, purchase, sale or trade of any offer requirement is prohibited. Void where taxed, regulated or prohibited. Allow up to 4 weeks to receive rebate. Not combinable with other offers. Rebate may not be assigned, transferred or sold. Questions: 1-800-248-7310. PayPal or Venmo account required for rebate. Not affiliated with PayPal, Venmo or UTV LLC. See BTFE.com for App Terms of Service, Program Rules & Privacy Policy. Standard data rates may apply. Find eligible products and full terms and conditions at BTFE.com/FreeSnacks. Trademarks are property of their respective owners. Saved by the Bell © Universal Television LLC. All Rights Reserved.
For 30 years, Box Tops for Education has helped schools access critical resources and opportunities to ensure students everywhere are set up for success. Reaching this milestone is a chance to celebrate everything Box Tops has helped make possible for schools over the years while reminding families how easy it is to give back with the products already in their carts.
General Mills makes food the world loves. The company is guided by its Accelerate strategy to boldly build its brands, relentlessly innovate, unleash its scale and stand for good. Its portfolio of beloved brands includes household names like Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Totino’s, Annie’s, Wanchai Ferry and more. General Mills generated fiscal 2026 net sales of U.S. $18 billion. In addition, the company’s share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totaled U.S. $1 billion.
Box Tops for Education, founded by General Mills in 1996, is a school earnings program that enables families to support their local schools through everyday purchases. By using the Box Tops app, families can earn cash for schools by scanning receipts or linking store accounts. To date, schools have earned nearly $1 billion through the program. For more information, visit www.boxtops4education.com.
Saved by the Bell was created by Sam Bobrick and produced by Peter Engel Productions and Universal Television (FKA NBC Productions). The hit NBC show aired Saturday mornings from 1989 to 1993 and quickly became a fan-favorite teen series, solidifying its legacy in the network's 100 year history.
Universal Products & Experiences (UP&E) globally drives the expansion and elevation of NBCUniversal's iconic collection of brands, intellectual properties, characters, and stories based on the company's extensive portfolio of properties created by Universal Pictures, Illumination, DreamWorks Animation and NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. The division executes this through innovative physical and digital products, as well as engaging retail and product experiences across our expansive global theme park destinations (for both owned and third-party IP), location-based venues, e-commerce product platforms, and retailers around the world. Along with global brand strategy and creative, UP&E's lines of business include Consumer Products and Games, along with Theme Parks Products & Retail. UP&E is a division of Universal Destinations & Experiences, part of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. More information is available at universalproductsexperiences.com.
Saved by the Bell © Universal City Studios LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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