A penny may only be worth one cent, but some Ballard students are hoping to collect 750 pounds of them to support charitable causes in their community.

The fundraiser is called Penny Harvest and is being conducted at Adams, Green Lake, Loyal Heights and Whittier elementary schools. Whitman Middle school and Ballard High are also taking part. It started on Oct. 22 and runs through Nov. 21.

Seattle's Penny Harvest campaign is run by Fremont non-profit, Solid Ground. The group is affiliated with Common Cents, a New York organization that started the fundraiser.

Nine hundred schools in Albany, New York, Nashville, Tennessee and the states of Colorado and Florida are also sponsoring Penny Harvest drives. In 2006, $770,000 was raised in those states.

In the Seattle area, 61 schools are collecting pennies. Last year 39 schools raised $41,000.

Each class would have a can for collecting. The pennies in each can will be placed into a bin at the main office. The goal is to fill 25 canvas bags that can hold $1,000.

The Seattle children are encouraged to ask parents, friends and family for their pennies, other coins or monetary donations. Each school keeps the money and which needy groups they want to support with it.

The interesting part of the project is when students talk about where to donate the money.

"With that money, they get to decide how to use it to best meet community needs," said Mike Beebe, program director for Solid Ground.

Each school chooses how to use the funds. A Penny Harvest philanthropy round table, with student representatives looks at different needs in the community to give to.

Often times students select food banks, park cleanup projects, animal welfare, children's health and other programs to assist.

"They learn leadership. What it means to be a caring community, taking care of everyone regardless of their background. In a nutshell, they learn how to make a difference. Money is a powerful tool," said Beebe.

Adams students have hung posters in the hallways. "Got Pennies?" is the theme.

Beebe says hopefully the children will learn the value of volunteering, philanthropy and leadership.

Parent Bobbi Windus, Adams Elementary's coordinator of the Penny Harvest asked the students to practice writing thank you letters and to think how about who to give the money to.

"What are things you care about," she asked.

The school's fourth and fifth graders have already raised enough coins to fill over two sacks.

Visit http://www.PennyHarvest.org for more information or contact one of the schools to donate your unused pennies or other change.