Contact: Anna Koch
San Mateo County Libraries
(650) 650-574-4842 ext. 227
San Mateo, CA – Have an overdue book or DVD from the library? Now’s your chance to clear your fines and help others by donating food to those in need during the San Mateo County Library’s Food For Fines program. This year’s program begins on Thursday, November 1st and runs through December 31.
Customers can take any amount of nonperishable boxed or canned food to any of the San Mateo County Libraries’ twelve branches. Donations can also be made to any of these participating libraries Burlingame, opens a new window, College of San Mateo, opens a new window, Daly City, opens a new window, Redwood City, opens a new window, San Mateo, opens a new window and South San Francisco, opens a new window during business hours, and library fines and fees will be waived. All collected food is donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara, opens a new window and San Mateo Counties.
“There is a growing need for feeding the hungry in San Mateo County” said San Mateo County Supervisor Carole Groom, opens a new window. Further, “This is a wonderful opportunity to provide food for those in need in our community, while clearing up fines and resuming greater use of our outstanding library system.” Supervisor Groom also encourages everyone in the community – whether or not they owe fines—to donate food at the library to help people in need this holiday season.
Each year, Second Harvest Food Bank distributes more than 45.5 million pounds of nutritious food to low-income people in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Most recipients are children and seniors. The millions of pounds of food are provided free to 326 local nonprofit agencies at more than 700 sites, including pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and after-school programs. Combined efforts last year with participating libraries resulted in the collection of over 37,000 pounds of food, feeding 1500 families for a week.
Food for Fines is a collaboration among the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, Burlingame Library, College of San Mateo, Daly City Public Library, Redwood City Public Library, San Mateo County Libraries, San Mateo Public Libraries, South San Francisco Library and Second Harvest Food Bank. This community food drive presents a great opportunity for residents to give back to the community and take advantage of the great collections and programs that libraries offers, such as best sellers, downloadable audiobooks and eBooks, computers classes, music, movies, story times, and much, much more.
