Get free donuts & help students learn

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Krispy Kreme's Beads for Donuts Program is helping special needs children.

Not sure what to do with all your leftover Mardi Gras beads? How about trading them in for some free Krispy Kreme donuts?

If you ever watch a Krispy Kreme donut being made, it's a study in temptation. The donuts roll off an assembly line, practically winking at you. They shower in a sweet waterfall of glaze.

A dozen Krispy Kreme donuts can be yours for free, all for the price of your Mardi Gras leftovers.

"We do it every year," said Krispy Kreme general manager Jonathan Gildden. "People bring in 12 pounds of beads and it's good for a dozen glazed. We donate the beads to Augusta Evans, which is a school for the mentally and physically challenged."

Last year, Krispy Kremes gave away 6,000 dozen donuts in the Beads for Donuts program, that's worth roughly $50,000 in free donuts.

"It's all for a good cause, so we don't mind it," said Gildden.

Augusta Evans doesn't mind, either. The school, which serves 236 students with various disabilities, uses the beads to fund school programs, as well as to help the older students participate in a job training program.

"Our goal ultimately is to get these children out to paid employment, whether it's one or two days or full time," said Allen Baggett, the school's principal.

The students clean, count, sort, and repackage the beads, which are sold back to Mardi Gras organizations.

"The bead program teaches these children how to stay on task, how to work in the workplace, and other skills that are necessary to be successful," said Baggett. "The more they see that they can do, the more confidence it builds in them, the more success - it's a win-win situation."

The Beads for Donuts Drive continues through Wednesday. Bring in 12 pounds of beads to either of Mobile's Krispy Kreme stores, and get your free donuts!