May 6, 2023
Mid-Continent Public Library’s Food for Fines program is back! The biannual program will return Monday, May 1, through Sunday, May 7. During the weeklong initiative, MCPL customers will have the chance to donate nonperishable food items in place of money to pay off overdue fines or replacement card charges.
Customers with no fines or fees are also encouraged to donate, and donations will be used to “pay it forward” toward another customer’s fines. Following the completion of the program, the food will be given to charitable organizations across the Kansas City metro.
MCPL offers the Food for Fines program twice a year—leading into the summer to encourage active participation in the annual Summer Library Program, and in the fall to alleviate any barriers for students seeking resources at the Library. To date, the Library has collected more than 165,000 items for local charities through the program.
Suggested donations include boxed meals, canned food, peanut butter, cereal, and pasta. Donations must not be expired, damaged, open, non-nutritious, or in a glass, plastic, or cardboard drink container. Each donated food item will count as $1 toward a customer’s fines and fees (up to $10).
Current Food for Fines recipients include: Antioch Branch – Feed Northland Kids, Blue Ridge Branch – Community Assistance Council, Blue Springs North Branch – Community Services League, Blue Springs South Branch – Community Services League, Buckner Branch – Community Services League, Camden Point Branch – Dearborn Community Food Network, Claycomo Branch – St. Benedict’s Food Pantry, Colbern Road Library Center – Coldwater of Lee’s Summit, Dearborn Branch – Dearborn Community Food Network, East Lee’s Summit Branch – Lee’s Summit Social Services and Hillcrest Transitional Housing, Edgerton Branch – Dearborn Community Food Network, Excelsior Springs Branch – Good Samaritan Center of Excelsior Springs, Farview Neighborhood Library – Community Services League (Farview in-branch food pantry), Grain Valley Branch – Community Services League, Grandview Branch – Grandview Assistance Program, Green Hills Library Center – St. Therese Food Pantry and A Turning Point KC, Kearney Branch – Kearney Food Pantry, Lone Jack Branch – Helping Hands Food Pantry, Midwest Genealogy Center – Community Services League, North Independence Branch – Community Services League, Oak Grove Branch – Community Services League, Parkville Branch – St. Therese Food Pantry and A Turning Point KC, Platte City Branch – Treasure Chest, Raytown Branch – Raytown Emergency Assistance Program, Red Bridge Branch – Community Assistance Council, Riverside Branch – Mimi’s Pantry, Smithville Branch – First Christian Church Food Pantry, South Independence Branch – Community Services League, Weston Branch – Weston Community Food Pantry, Withers Branch – Grace Episcopal Food Pantry, and Woodneath Library Center – Kansas City Church
For more information about Food for Fines, visit mymcpl.org/FoodForFines.
