(EMAILWIRE.COM, August 14, 2002 ) Just in time for the new school year, the General Mills Box Tops for Education program is doubling in size, making it even easier for America's budget-strapped schools to earn twice as much cash each year. Consumers across the country will begin to find Box Tops coupons on hundreds of new participating Green Giant®, Totino's®, Progresso®, Old El Paso®, Gold Medal® and Pillsbury® refrigerated and frozen products. Enrolled schools can now earn up to $60,000 each year from the Box Tops for Education program, including $20,000 from each of the three program components (Clip, Shop and Charge).

Adding these new brands doubles the number of products participating in the Box Tops for Education program. Box Tops coupons will now appear on over 800 brands across more than 20 categories in the grocery store. Box Tops for Education coupons are worth 10 cents each when schools collect them and send them to General Mills.

More than 22 million American households clip Box Tops for Education. Since the program's inception in 1996, General Mills has given nearly $70 million to America's schools and anticipates giving even more this year with the newly expanded program.

"When we asked schools and consumers how to make Box Tops for Education better, the answer was unanimous. Everyone told us to put Box Tops coupons on more products in the store and to add additional ways for them to earn cash for their school through everyday activities," said Geoff Johnson, manager of the Box Tops for Education Program.

Television talk show host and busy mom Meredith Vieira is an advocate for parental involvement in schools and recognizes Box Tops for Education as a powerful way for parents and kids to raise money for their schools. "It's such an easy fundraising program to participate in - it takes little time and schools can benefit in many ways," Vieira said. "This year I'm challenging every school in America to double the amount of Box Tops that they have collected in any previous year."

The 2001-2002 school year was a record year for Box Tops for Education. Schools earned over $18.5 million, bringing the total amount of money which General Mills has given to schools to nearly $70 million since the launch of the program in 1996. More than 71,000 schools are enrolled in the program and typically use their Box Tops money for purchasing computers and computer software, library books, art supplies and playground equipment. Since the program awards cash, schools are free to spend their money on whatever they want or need.

For a complete list of participating products or more information about Box Tops for Education, visit boxtops4education.com.

About Box Tops for Education

Introduced in 1996, Box Tops for Education is a school fundraising program run by General Mills, Inc. Box Tops for Education is open to any accredited public, private or parochial school in the United States, containing any class with students from Kindergarten to 8th grade that is organized and primarily operated for education purposes, and to any United States military school, containing any class with students from Kindergarten to 8th grade, worldwide. The Box Tops for Education program provides consumers three ways to earn cash for their school:

Clip with the original Box Tops for Education.

Save Box Tops coupons from hundreds of participating General Mills products from throughout the grocery store and give them to any enrolled K-8 school. Box Tops coupons are each worth 10 cents from General Mills when the school redeems them - up to a maximum of $20,000 per school annually.

Shop online at the Box Tops for Education Marketplace.

The Box Tops Marketplace, at boxtops4education.com, is a gateway to over 100 quality online stores including Amazon.com, Eddie Bauer.com and OfficeMax.com. Click to any store and up to 10 percent of each qualifying purchase is donated to a designated Box Tops school - up to a maximum of $20,000 per school annually.

Charge with the Box Tops for Education Visa card.

Call 1-800-227-9605 to apply. There is no annual fee and a low APR. Use the Box Tops Visa card at more than 20 million locations worldwide and a full 1 percent of every purchase is donated to a designated Box Tops school - up to a maximum of $20,000 per school annually.

About General Mills

General Mills is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of consumer foods products, with annual worldwide net sales of $10.8 billion. Its global brand portfolio includes Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Haagen-Dazs, Old El Paso, Bugles and more. It also has more than 100 U.S. consumer brands, more than 30 of which generate annual retail sales in excess of $100 million. Included in the U.S. portfolio are some of the nation's most popular brands including Cheerios, Wheaties and other Big G cereal brands; Yoplait and Colombo yogurts, Betty Crocker desserts and dinner mixes; Betty Crocker and Nature Valley snacks; Totino's frozen pizza and snacks and Progresso ready-to-serve soups. General Mills is also a leader in the bakeries and foodservice business as a major supplier of baking and other food products to the foodservice and commercial baking industries.

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Produced for General Mills

Contacts:

Allegra Sinclair
General Mills
763.764.3971
allegra.sinclair@genmills.com

Tracy Peterson
Padilla Speer Beardsley
612-455-1717
tpeterson@psbpr.com

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General Mills
Joseph Nchor
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