Generous patrons and a hardworking library staff made the Monmouth County Library’s Food for Fines drive a success as more than six tons of food items were collected for local food banks and food pantries.
Food for Fines was held during National Library Week, April 11-16. The drive offered a trade-off: Bring in a nonperishable food item to any Monmouth County Library branch and get $2 deducted from any current outstanding late fees. The food items were then donated to a local food bank or food pantry, according to a press release.
The library ran a similar system-wide food drive two years ago, but this year’s drive exceeded the collection that was made in 2009, according to Library Director Kenneth Sheinbaum.
“This represents a truly magnificent and magnanimous effort by all the Monmouth County Library branches and their patrons,” said Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the library. “I commend the generosity of our library patrons and the hard work of the librarians and volunteers to help those in need.”
“The support by the citizens of Monmouth County of the Food for Fines initiative with the Monmouth County Library has been just phenomenal,” said Renee B. Swartz, chair of the Monmouth County Library Commission. “The generosity and community spirit evident in this partnership epitomizes the spirit of this season of renewal, the joy of spring and the outreach to others less fortunate.”
Food bank workers praised the donations and said the library’s contributions came at a time when food supplies were at a low ebb.
“You guys are awesome!” said Adam Lowy, executive director of Move Against Hunger, who helped transport food items from several library branches to the Food- Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. “The spring and summer are usually a tough time for donations and the library really stepped in to make a difference.”
Lowy estimated that his group transported more than 1,400 pounds of food items from the Ocean Township, West Long Branch and Colts Neck library branches. At the Open Door pantry in Freehold, director JeanneYaecker said that by her count, almost five tons of food was donated by library headquarters in Manalapan and the Marlboro Library over the course of the week.
“Our shelves were starting to look a little shabby until the library donations started to roll in,” Yaecker said. “This is a slow time of the year for donations anyway, and due to the economy the items have been flying out of here right now almost faster than we can stock them. But we have a pretty good inventory now, all due to the library.” “Marlboro patrons were very generous with their donations. Most of the donations were nutritious items that families can really use,” said Robyn Miller, branch librarian at Marlboro and coordinator of the program. “Libraries are part of the community and we were glad to help out our local food banks.”
Library headquarters chief librarian Judi Tolchin said approximately 119 boxes of food were hauled away by Open Door volunteers at library headquarters in Manalapan .“ We canceled $7,665 in fines at headquarters alone. And some of our patrons just donated food without consideration to fine forgiveness,” she said.
Every library branch participated and every donation helped. Holmdel branch librarian Karen Nealis said she transported about 20 to 25 boxes of food items to the Calico Cat Cupboard and Food Pantry in Middletown.
“We when arrived all they had on their shelves were canned pineapple, green beans and grape jelly,” Nealis said. “So we were definitely filling a need.”
The donated food items went to:
Open Door food pantry in Freehold, from library headquarters in Manalapan and the Marlboro Library.
Move for Hunger in Neptune and the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, from the Ocean Township, West Long Branch and Colts Neck libraries.
The Allentown food pantry, from the Allentown Public Library.
Lunch Break in Red Bank, from the Eastern Branch Library in Shrewsbury.
The Howell food pantry, under the direction of the Howell Alliance, from the Howell Library.
The Calico Cat Cupboard and Food Pantry in Middletown, from the Holmdel Library.
The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties in Neptune, from the Wall Township Library.
The Church of the Nativity in Fair Haven — which in turn donates items to food pantries at St. Anthony’s of Padua in Red Bank, St. Dorothea’s in Eatontown, and Christ the King in Long Branch — from the Oceanport Library.