For over 10 years, Mountain Hardware & Sports has turned everyday shopping into an opportunity to support local education. Since becoming an Excellence in Education Foundation community partner in 2015, the local business and its customers have contributed $32,789.55 through Shopping for Schools events, Register Round Ups, and Mountain Hardware & Sports matches. Plus, they were one of our biggest sellers of the former Dining for Schools program.
And 2026 brought another milestone: a record-setting $4,561.12 raised for local students, including $3,061.12 donated by customers and a generous $1,500 match from Mountain Hardware & Sports.
From Shopping for Schools to Register Round Up
The partnership began in 2015 with Shopping for Schools, a three-hour evening event that brought the community together for food, drinks, and shopping. Customers received 10% off their purchases, and an additional 10% was matched and donated to Excellence in Education by Mountain Hardware.
In 2018, the partnership evolved into the Register Round Up that continues today. During the annual promotion, customers can choose to round up their purchase at checkout, with the extra change donated to Excellence in Education to support educational opportunities throughout the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District.
One transaction might add only a few cents or a couple of dollars. Together, those small contributions have added up to tens of thousands of dollars for local education.
As Excellence in Education celebrates its 40th anniversary, partnerships like this are an important part of the story.
For four decades, local businesses, donors, educators, volunteers, and community members have come together to create opportunities for Tahoe Truckee students. Mountain Hardware & Sports has been part of that effort for more than a quarter of the foundation’s history, finding a simple and accessible way for its customers to participate, too.
To Mountain Hardware & Sports and every customer who has said “yes” to rounding up over the years: thank you.
Your spare change has added up to $32,789.55, and countless opportunities for local students. Seeing this impact today brings us right back to our original mission: Business and community helping students reach new heights.
Here’s to another record-setting year and to many more years of investing in education together.