For your library's next "fine forgiveness" week, instead of a "food for fines" exchange, consider doing a "wipe out your fines" program to collect donations for your community's food pantry or homeless shelter.

The idea comes from a post on the ALA Think Tank Facebook group, where Michele said ...

We had a "Wipe Out Your Fines" program last week. We collected 583 rolls of toilet paper to pay for $380 in fines. The toilet paper is going to our local rescue mission.

Ask your local food pantry, homeless shelter, or Red Cross office what items they need most.  Unlike food donations, paper products don't have an expiration date, and (as long as the items are "new in package"), there's no question about what does and what doesn't qualify as a valid donation to "wipe out" a person's fines.

Photo credit: Domas via Morguefile