Food for Fines

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

The Maricopa County Library District (MCLD) Food for Fines program provides library customers the opportunity to donate non-perishable food items to forgive library fines for one week during the summer. Food for Fines started in 2015 as a creative response to customer requests for fine reduction opportunities. For each item donated, $2.00 in fees are forgiven. Customers without overdue fines are encouraged to donate items and the value of these items is applied randomly to a child’s account with fines. Establishing a food donation program also provides much-needed donations to local food banks during the summer months, a time when food bank reserves generally run low. The goal of the Food for Fines program is to provide a cost efficient opportunity to reduce fines for library customers while simultaneously providing resources to local food banks during the summer months. In partnership with the Maricopa County Human Services Department, local food banks are identified within each library community to receive donations. The outcome has been a positive response from library customers, staff, and participating food banks.