The Lexington Parking Authority (LPA) collected more than three tons of food for God's Pantry Food Bank through this year's "Food for Fines" campaign.
More than 7,360 food items, totalling 6,057 pounds, were turned in to the LexPARK offices over the course of the campaign, in lieu of $10,765 in citations, the agency reported.
“More than 2,000 hungry households in Fayette County seek assistance from God’s Pantry Food Bank each month.” said Michael Halligan, CEO of God’s Pantry, in a release announcing the results of the campaign. “This year more than 6,000 pounds of food was donated by parking citation holders in place of paying their LexPARK citations. In five years, the Food for Fines program has gathered enough food to help create some 30,000 meals. What a wonderful blessing of food and joy during the holiday season.”
The Food for Fines program encouraged customers to bring in 10 cans of food in exchange for $15 off a parking citation. The campaign ran from November 19 through December 14.