‘Food for fines’ at county libraries

Freeholders sponsor April food drive

The 2013 Monmouth County Food Drive builds on the county’s 2012 partnership with the FoodBank that collected 22,000 pounds of items for distribution to individuals in need. 

“More than 80,000 people in Monmouth County are in need of emergency food,” Freeholder John P. Curley said. “People continue to be in need of assistance; Superstorm Sandy survivors, formerly working, middle class families who lost their jobs as well as individuals who find themselves underemployed while they continue to rely on the FoodBank. I urge all Monmouth County residents who are able to assist during this food drive to do so.”

The primary collection points will be the county library branches, including the Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury and the Library Headquarters in Manalapan. As an incentive, the libraries are offering to erase fines for overdue materials in exchange for donations of food. Collection bins will also be at the Belford Ferry Terminal, Thompson Park Visitor Center in Lincroft, Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center in Howell, Hall of Records in Freehold Borough and the Agriculture and Human Services buildings in Freehold Township. Acomplete list of locations is at the end of this press release.

“The FoodBank’s shelves are empty,” Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone said. “This food drive will help fill the shelves at a time of year when donations are usually low. This is important because the need does not go away.”

“When the FoodBank started 25 years ago it distributed 100,000 pounds of food,” said Carlos M. Rodriguez, executive director of the FoodBank. “Last year, we supplied more than 260 food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters with 7.1 million pounds of food. We continue to experience an increase in the demand for emergency food. The need is here.”

The 2012 April Monmouth County Food Drive set the record for the largest non-holiday food drive a the Neptune-based FoodBank.

The county’s partnership with the FoodBank stems from a situation last year in which the county Social Services office was experiencing a backlog processing applications for food stamps. Curley, as liaison to Social Services, declared a food stamp emergency in Monmouth County and immediately hired part-time clerical workers to help ease the backlog.

“When people get turned away from food stamps they turn to the FoodBank,” Curley said.

Non-perishable, protein-rich foods such as peanut butter, granola bars and tuna fish are examples of items suitable for donation.

The branches of the Monmouth County Library System participating in the month-long “Food for Fines” program are:Headquarters in Manalapan, Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury, Atlantic Highlands, Colts Neck, Hazlet, Howell, Marlboro, Ocean Township, Oceanport, Wall andWest Long Branch.

“The Monmouth County Library System is the public gathering place in many communities, so it makes sense that the libraries would serve as the main collection points for this food drive,” said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the Library System. “The ‘Food for Fines’ program is a good way to get outstanding material returned to the library and help a good cause at the same time.”

The food drive at the libraries works this way: patrons who have outstanding materials will bring their food to the library counter. The libraries will reduce the fines by $1 for every food item donated. Donation bins will also be available in the libraries for people who do not have fines but want to donate food as well.

“I thank all of our county staff who are making preparations for a second springtime food drive,” Freeholder Deputy Director Serena DiMaso said. “There are so many residents in need as a result of Superstorm Sandy and the lingering unemployment situation. We all need to do our part to help our friends and neighbors.”

“You don’t have to owe a library fine to participate in this food drive; we urge everyone to participate,” Curley said. “In these times it’s not just who we traditionally think of as the poor who need food; it is our friends and neighbors who are out of work and are struggling to get by.”

April is also National County Government Month, sponsored by the National Association of Counties (NACo), that has been designed to increase awareness of county governments and their operations. The freeholders have chosen the food drive as a way to engage citizens and serve the community.

“The 2013 Monmouth County Food Drive is the county’s way of making a difference in the daily lives of some of our neighbors,” Freeholder Gary J. Rich Sr. said. “When our citizens are engaged our communities are improved. This April’s food drive is a great start.”

Monmouth County Care Centers
John L. Montgomery Care Center, 115 Dutch Ln., Freehold, NJ 07728
*Geraldine L. Thompson Care Center, 2350 Hospital Rd., Wall NJ 08720

County Offices
*Belford Ferry Terminal, 10 Harbor Way, Belford, NJ 07718
Hall of Records, One East Main St., Freehold, NJ 07728
Monmouth County Agriculture Building, 4000 Kozloski Rd., Freehold, NJ 07728
*Monmouth County Connection, 3544 Highway 66, Neptune, NJ 07752
Human Services Building, 3000 Kozloski Rd., Freehold, NJ 07728
Public Works Complex, 250 Center St., Freehold, NJ 07728

Monmouth County Library branches

Library Headquarters, 125 Symmes Dr., Manalapan, NJ 07726-3249
Eastern Branch, 1001 Rt. 35, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702-4398
Atlantic Highlands, 100 First Ave., Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716
Colts Neck, One Winthrop Dr., Colts Neck, NJ 07722-2225
Hazlet, 251 Middle Rd., Hazlet, NJ 07730-1942
Howell, 318 Old Tavern Rd., Howell, NJ 07731-8812
Marlboro, One Library Ct. & Wyncrest Dr., Marlboro, NJ 07746-1184
Ocean, 701 Deal Rd., Ocean, NJ 07712
Wall, 2700 Allaire Rd., Wall, NJ 07719
West Long Branch, 95 Poplar Ave., West Long Branch, NJ 07764

*New locations for 2013