There is a new card being offered that will help benefit Bakersfield College’s Child Development Center.

The card, known as S.H.A.R.E.S., stands for Supporting Humanities, Arts, Recreation, Education and Sports.

By using a S.H.A.R.E.S. card at a Savemart, FoodMaxx, Lucky or Smart Foods, a person can help donate art supplies such as paint, glue, crayons and other items to the BC’s Child Development center.

Every time a person slides the card at the register of one of these stores, 3 percent of whatever is spent goes to the college in quarterly checks throughout the year.

These cards can be used in other cities in California, and the proceeds will still benefit BC’s center as long as the card itself was obtained at BC.

Child Development program manager Danell Ward was asked what gave her the idea to use S.H.A.R.E. cards for fundraising.

“I’ve been here at BC for about a year, and I was trying to find some kind of fundraising that would be easier on families, and S.H.A.R.E.S came to mind,” she said. “We used the cards at the last college I worked for in Northern California, and they worked out really well.”

Ward believes that the cards also give some families the incentive to buy and eat healthier foods.

“The center teaches the children healthier ways to eat and the children take what they have learned home to their families,” she said.

Cards are available at the BC Child Development Center. There is no registration needed for the card – just slide it at the register as you pay.