Mid-Continent Public Library’s biannual Food for Fines program will return September 14-20, once again providing customers with the opportunity to pay off fines and fees with donations of nonperishable food items. Branches collect the donations, and at the end of the week, they are given to local food pantries across the metro. For more than a decade, MCPL has offered the program, which has collected more than 245,000 items for local charities.
MCPL offers the Food for Fines program twice a year—leading into the summer to encourage active participation in the annual summer reading program, and in the fall to alleviate any barriers for students seeking resources at the Library. All donations are welcome to support local food banks, even if patrons don’t have fines or fees.
Suggested donations include boxed meals, canned food, peanut butter, cereal, and pasta. Donations must not be expired, damaged, open, or in a glass, plastic, or cardboard drink container. Each donated food item will count as $1.50 toward a customer’s fines and fees (up to $30).
Current Food for Fines recipients include:
| MCPL Branch | Organization | ||
| 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 | Claycomo Citizen’s Alliance | ||
| 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 | ||
| East Independence Branch | Community Services League | ||
| 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 | A Turning Point KC | ||
| Kearney Branch | Kearney Food Pantry | ||
| Lee’s Summit Branch | Lee’s Summit Social Services | ||
| Lone Jack Branch | Helping Hands Food Pantry | ||
| Midwest Genealogy Center | Community Services League | ||
| North Independence Branch | Community Services League | ||
| North Oak Branch | Barry Christian Church Food Pantry | ||
| Oak Grove Branch | Community Services League | ||
| Parkville Branch | St. Therese Food Pantry | ||
| Platte City Branch | Community Action Agency of Greater Kansas City | ||
| 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 | ||
| Woodneath Library Center | Kansas City Church |
