Community Corner

Pay Off Your Library Fines By Donating Food

Customers can take any amount of nonperishable boxed or canned food to any of the San Mateo County Library's 12 branches.

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 month of December in the San Mateo County Library’s “Food For Fines” program.

In 2012 San Mateo County Library was the recipient of the Second Harvest Food Bank’s Outside the Barrel award, which honors organizations for outstanding innovation and creativity in food drive efforts. Due to the success of SMCL’s “Food For Fines” program, other Peninsula libraries are joining in the effort this year to increase food donations county-wide. Libraries in Daly City, Redwood City, and San Mateo are participating. 

Customers can take any amount of nonperishable boxed or canned food to any of the San Mateo County Library’s 12 branches. Also, donations can be made to any Daly City Library, Redwood City Library and San Mateo Public Library branches 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 and San Mateo counties. 

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“There is a growing need for feeding the hungry in San Mateo County” said San Mateo County Supervisor Carole Groom. “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.” 

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. 

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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 San Mateo County Library and Redwood City Public Library resulted in the collection of 25,331 pounds of food, feeding 1053 families for a week.

Food for Fines is a collaboration among the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, Daly City Public Library, Redwood City Public Library, San Mateo County Library, San Mateo Public 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. 


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