Cincinnati’s “Holiday Food for Fines” program collected 3,580 canned foods for the Freestore Foodbank and resulted in $12,780 in parking fines collected.
The program gave people with outstanding parking tickets a chance to have the late fees waived in exchange for 10 donated canned goods.
According to City Manager Harry Black, 286 people took advantage of the city’s offer; and, in some cases, people donated more than the required 10 cans of food. The people who participated were required to make a payment of $45 in addition to donating the canned food.
The program, which had been approved by Cincinnati City Council, ran from Dec. 15 through Dec. 19.
The canned goods collected filled 16 large drums and were picked up by the Freestore Foodbank on Dec. 22.
