Annual Food for Fines Program is Underway

NEWBURGH – For its annual Thanksgiving Food Drive, the Newburgh Free Library will offer a Food for Fines program, where donated food items can be used to save on overdue fines. Through Nov. 21, library users can bring their overdue books, CDs, DVDs and other items, along with some food items to the Main Library at 124 Grand St. or the Town Branch at the Newburgh Mall. For each donated can or package of food,, the fine will be waived on one overdue item. There’s no limit on the number of overdue books and canned goods that can be brought in. The fine-free period applies to current or previous fines but does not apply to lost or damaged items. Donated items must be brought to the checkout desk. Don’t have any fines? Feel free to donate food anyway.

Suggested Thanksgiving-related food items include instant potatoes, canned or dry gravy, cranberry sauce, canned vegetables, canned sweet potatoes, turkey stuffing mix, canned fruit and frozen turkeys. Turkeys should be brought only to the Main Library on Mon., Nov. 21 from 9 to 4 p.m. Food items must be in good condition; no rusty or dented cans, cans without labels, damaged packages, or stale, outdated items will be accepted.

Donated items will be given to Newburgh Loaves and Fishes, a consortium of food pantries, soup kitchens, and nonprofit agencies that distributes about 1,000 Thanksgiving turkeys and food baskets to needy families and individuals living within the City of Newburgh. In addition to helping the community, the Library hopes the fine-free period will also encourage library users to bring back the numerous books and other library materials that are overdue so that they can be made available to other readers.

For more information, call the Newburgh Free Library at (845) 563-3600 (Main Library) or (845) 566-0460 (Town Branch).

The Newburgh Free Library is open from 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Mon. through Thurs., 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday. The Town Branch is open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Mon., Thurs. and Fri..; 12 p.m. – 8 p.m., Tues. and Wed.,10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sat.; and closed on Sunday. For information about library programs, please call (845) 563-3619.