Donations of food will help pay fines

Library drive will assist the needy

Yuma Community Food Bank will again be the beneficiary of a “Food for Fines” drive by the Yuma County Library District through July 14 , which will give the nonprofit an extra boost as its season of higher needs and lower donations arrives.

“Yes, this is great because we’re coming into the summer, when there’s more need out there because unemployment goes up and kids are out of school,” where they may have qualified for free or reduced meals, food bank Executive Director Shara Mertens said.

The county library system has held a Christmastime Food for Fines drive for the last 28 years, and starting in 2016 added a “summertime edition” to provide an additional infusion of canned goods to get it through the leaner times.

Library district spokeswoman Sarah Wisdom said last summer’s drive brought in 2,886 cans, a big jump over the inaugural effort’s 1,756. And they’re outpacing their winter counterparts, mostly because they last about twice as long during that season.

Library patrons who need to pay fines for overdue books or other materials can reduce them by $1 for every can weighing 10 oz. or more they turn in. Anyone who doesn’t have outstanding fees to settle is welcome to donate, too.

Only labeled cans of nonperishable food which are not dented and haven’t expired will be accepted. Glass or plastic containers, boxes or packages are not eligible.

Michelle Merkley, community engagement manager for the food bank, said Tuesday summer’s arrival is already very apparent, with only two bins of nonperishable goods in the warehouse and additional clients coming in to seek help.

“We’re getting to the point where our shelves are pretty bare,” she said. “The last couple of days we’ve been seeing that the lines are a lot longer and we’re seeing a lot more clients in the last couple of days.”

But since the library drive launched on Monday, she’d already seen a glimmer of hope.

She said, “I was down there this morning just to drop off our donation boxes, and there were a couple of people in line in front of me, and they were dropping off canned goods, so I was like, ‘Oh good, it’s working!’”

For more information call (928) 373-6492 or visit www.yumalibrary.org.