“Food for Fines” is an event where members of the campus community can donate non-perishable food items in lieu of paying library fines for overdue materials. Usually, we allow $1 per 1 item. The fines must be from materials that have already been returned (no replacement fees for lost items).
Since the fall of 2000, we held “Food for Fines” events once every few years. As of spring 2012, we began holding these events each fall and spring semester.
Over the years, we’ve partnered with the Mortarboard Society, JuST (Justice & Service in Tacoma), CICE (Center for Intercultural and Civic Engagement) and donated to the Tacoma Rescue Mission, The Emergency Food Network, and St. Leo’s Food Network.
We raised 7,044 donations which is equivalent to waiving $7,044 in library fines.
We would like to thank each of the organizations we’ve worked with throughout the years including all the student coordinators who decorated many boxes and bins and to the students and Food Network staff who picked up the donations. We would also like to thank the campus community for coming together with their time and donations for such a worthy cause. We have been thrilled that we could support our local food networks.