The annual drive that put more than five tons of food into the city’s pantries last year is getting a makeover. The Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library’s Food for Fines is now Food for Friends.
In years past, patrons who owed the library money for late books could donate food to have their fines reduced. At the beginning of September, however, the library stopped charging fines.
Heather McKinney works at the library. She said people were not really thinking about the food drive when the library announced the change, but patrons started asking as December neared.
"As we’re getting toward the holidays when we would normally host our Food for Fines drive, people still felt the need to give," she said. "They still wanted to donate so they asked that we continue a food drive."
So that library bid goodbye to Food for Fines and said hello to Food for Friends.
The library started Food for Fines after an infamous tornado tore through the area in November 2005. The library says more than 10,000 pounds of food were donated last year alone.
Starting this Saturday, you can bring food or money to any EVPL location. Suggestions from the library include:
- cereal
- noodles
- canned and dried fruit
- protein-based items
The drive continues until December 21.