Crabtree Launches School Cents Rewards Program

The local shopping center is offering $15,000 in prize money to ten area schools through a new receipt-based rewards program.

Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Couponing

Bold vector editorial illustration showing a stylized school building and paper slips, representing community fundraising and education support. — Crabtree shopping center has launched the School Cents program in Raleigh, offering $15,000 in prizes to local schools through receipt-based fundraising. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Crabtree has introduced the School Cents program, allowing shoppers to earn points for local schools by submitting receipts via a mobile app. The initiative aims to support youth organizations by distributing cash prizes based on total participation.

Why it matters

The program serves as a community engagement tool designed to bridge the gap between the shopping center and local residents. By incentivizing school support, the initiative provides direct financial aid to ten area schools.

The Raleigh program features a $15,000 prize pool shared among ten schools, with individual awards ranging from $500 to $4,000. Nationwide, Macerich properties operate the program at 27 shopping centers with a total distribution of $450,000.

The players

Crabtree

A prominent shopping center located in Raleigh that serves as the hub for the local School Cents rewards initiative.

Auntie Anne's

A national pretzel franchise that is serving as a corporate sponsor for the School Cents rewards program.

Ultimate Comics

A local business entity acting as a primary sponsor for the school rewards program at the shopping center.

The details

Participating schools earn rewards when shoppers upload store, restaurant, and service receipts to the School Cents mobile application. The initiative is sponsored by Auntie Anne's and Ultimate Comics to encourage repeat visits and local spending.

October 26, 2026: The School Cents program officially launched at Crabtree.
March 31, 2027: The active participation period for the program concludes.
April 2027: Prize checks will be formally presented to participating schools.

Culture Shift

This initiative reflects a broader retail trend of utilizing gamified loyalty systems to foster long-term community relationships rather than transactional sales. By aligning with the Macerich School Cents framework, the mall adopts a strategy common among national retail operators.

Families in Raleigh can now direct their existing shopping budgets toward supporting local schools by scanning receipts through the mobile app. Users should ensure they track their specific school's point progress to help influence the final distribution of the $15,000 prize pool.

The takeaway

Shoppers can effectively turn routine expenses into funding for educational resources by participating in the receipt-submission process. Residents are encouraged to check the app regularly to ensure all eligible receipts from the center are logged before the March deadline.