If you’re someone who likes to shop — and really, who doesn’t like to shop? — then the Cranbury Public Library Foundation has provided a way for local residents to partake in that favorite activity while helping out the community at the same time., The foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, has enrolled in two programs that provide just such an opportunity. McCaffrey’s Supermarket and Amazon are two community-focused businesses that support non-profits by donating a portion of sales to enrolled charitable organizations., Here’s how it works. Save and bring your McCaffrey’s grocery receipts to the library. McCaffrey’s will give the foundation 1 percent of all purchases (excluding milk, cigarettes and alcohol). Receipts cannot be older than six months to qualify. McCaffrey’s has already donated more than $3,800 to the new library and community center., Amazon has a program called Amazon Smile, which donates one-half percent of qualified purchases to enrolled organizations. To help support the foundation, buyers simply need to use the URL smile.amazon.com instead of amazon.com. Go to smile.amazon.com and login with your usual ID and password then and select your charity — in this case select Cranbury Library Foundation. All other features of your Amazon account will be carried over. Amazon has donated more than $300 dollars toward the new library so far., “When the foundation became aware of these programs we applied,” said library Director Marilynn Mullen. “Now is the time for all Cranbury residents to be part of this exciting project.”, According to Ms. Mullen, the foundation is trying to raise enough funds to break ground on the new library this summer. It is currently engaged in a fundraising program called “Close the Gap” to raise all the funds needed for the new library., “We estimate the amount needed is $2.77 million. We have raised $2.53 million. To ‘Close the Gap’ we need $240,000 more in donations. We want to meet this goal in the first quarter of 2017,” she said., The final site design will be ready later this month and the project will be ready to go out to bid, according to Ms. Mullen. If the bid request goes out in February, then bids are opened 30 days later — in March. The library board then has 60 days to award the contract. The township wants the library board to have all the construction funds in hand before accepting any bid., “If you haven’t been taking advantage of these programs, consider doing so today and the Library Foundation will benefit even more,” said Ms. Mullen.
