People can stop by during the library’s hours to donate various canned goods
By KRYSTAL NURSE
The Sun
After seeing the county handle its own food drive, organizers at the Mullica Hill Branch Library and within the greater Gloucester County Library System wanted to help with the collection, but knew they needed a little something extra to get more donations.
Head of public services at the Mullica Hill branch, Brenda Muhlbaier, said the library starts its collection a week earlier than the county’s “Gloucester County Cares About Hunger” drive, and allows for people to receive a $1 credit toward their late fees by donating.
“We do this once a year because that’s when they run it,” said Muhlbaier. “It’s through half the month of February. They run theirs for about a week, and we wanted to run ours longer to get a better turnout. Then we take them up to the United Way [of Gloucester County].”
Gloucester County Cares About Hunger runs from Feb. 25 to March 3. GCLS’s Food for Fines runs from Feb. 14 to March 3.
People are welcome to visit any of the five branches to donate the items and still receive credit.
Muhlbaier said people can donate anything that’s not damaged or expired. The item needs to have its original label and can include cans or boxes and non-perishable items. Glass items are not accepted due to the possibility of them breaking.
The fees, she clarified, could only be done for items within the GCLS and cannot go toward lost or damaged items, non-GCLS libraries or be applied to future fines. Areas with a branch also include Swedesboro-Woolwich, Greenwich, Logan Township, and Glassboro.
Muhlbaier said people can donate up to 15 pounds of dry, non-perishable pet food, which will be turned over to the county animal shelter. People would need to speak with someone at the front desk for pet food donations.
Muhlbaier later said the library does not have a specific goal in mind on how many items it wants to collect, but that “it’s beneficial to so many people and it helps them out.”
After the food drive has ended, donations are given to the county and sorted through the United Way of Gloucester County, then transferred to the Food Bank of South Jersey and put aside for families and individuals seeking assistance.
Donations can be accepted anytime the library is open on Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Anyone with questions can call the library at (856) 223–6050 with questions.
