Make a Donation to our Library’s Christmas Food Appeal
Published: 26 Nov 2021 8:40am
Wagga Wagga City Library’s long running Christmas Food Appeal is on again, with residents encouraged to bring in non-perishable and long-life food items from Monday (29 November).
Last year, members of the public proved as generous as they have always been, donating bags full of non-perishable food items to help local people in need.
Manager Library Services Claire Campbell is confident that generosity of spirit will continue this year.
“We have an absolutely wonderful community who are really supportive of others who are in need of a helping hand,” Ms Campbell said.
“This initiative started about 25 years ago with people bringing in food instead of having to pay their library fines and in those days, it was called ‘Food for Fines’.
“People would save up their fines over the year and come in with bags of goodies because people believed it was a really good way to give something back to the community.
“While overdue fines were abolished across the Riverina Regional Library network in 2020 and the fines amnesty was replaced with the Christmas Food Appeal, the donations still rolled in.”
The goods donated to this year’s appeal will be donated goods to be handed over to a local charity in the new year for distribution as required in the community.
The focus is on donations of items which are non-perishable, and well within their use-by dates.
Household staple items are always valued, from canned food, rice and pasta, to breakfast cereal, flour, baby formula and long-life milk.
“It’s not about presents and Christmas lollies, it’s more about what you reach for in your pantry when you realise you should have done a shop this week,” Ms Campbell said.
“The start of the new year is often the really hard time for people, particularly families, who have used up their budget providing Christmas presents and food and then face the expense of getting their kids ready to go back to school.
“Having that can of baked beans or tuna and pasta in their panty gives them something to fall back on to ensure they can put food on the table.
“So, when you’re out doing your supermarket shopping put a few extra things in the trolley or see what extra goods you might have in your pantry and then drop them off here at the library.”
The 2021 appeal runs until Christmas Eve.