Ocean County Library To Swap
Food For Fines
TOMS RIVER – In honor of its 90th anniversary and in accordance with its mission of “connecting people, building community and transforming lives,” the Ocean County Library is launching a “Food for Fines” campaign throughout September.
The Food for Fines program will allow people to pay off up to $20 of outstanding fines on each library card. For each can or package of non-perishable food that is donated, the library will deduct 50 cents from a person’s fine.
All food collected will be donated to the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties network of more than 300 charity programs, including pantries, soup kitchens and other agencies. The campaign is a partnership with the library and the Ocean County Health Department to benefit the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.
Customers who don’t have fines can be part of the program by making donations of non-perishable food items to any of the Ocean County Library’s 21 locations.
“The Ocean County Library wants to give something back to our communities as a way of celebrating our 90th anniversary,’’ Ocean County Library Director Susan Quinn said.
Quinn said that in 2012, the library collected more than 2.5 tons of food in one week from donations made at each of its locations. That food was also donated to the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties’ network.
One in 10 people in Ocean County receives emergency food from the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties’ network according to the agency.
Food for Fine program credits will go towards overdue items only and cannot be applied towards collection replacement fees. The library cannot accept personal items such as soap or toothpaste.
The library cannot accept monetary donations as part of the campaign, but people can mail them to the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, 3300 Route 66, Neptune, NJ 07753. The program will run from Sept. 1 thru Sept. 30.
