For the second year in a row, residents of Lexington, Kentucky can pay their parking fines with canned goods for local food banks.
The city’s local parking authority is allowing residents with outstanding citations to donate preserved goods in lieu of cash through December 18. The month-long “Food for Fines” program will help stock the shelves of God’s Pantry Food Bank throughout the holiday season.
“One expired parking meter ticket could mean two meals for hungry Fayette County families,” God’s Pantry CEO Marian Guinn said.
Parking violators can donate ten 15-ounce cans of food for a typical $15 dollar fine. For heftier fines, the city’s parking authority is willing to accept more cans.
Last year, Lexington’s first “Foods for Fines” program was limited to expired parking meter fines. It garnered 6200 cans for more than 600 citations — worth about $14,000.
This year, the charitable endeavor is open to all parking citations.
“We hope by opening the program up to all types of citations, we’ll see the numbers increase,” Means said.
The parking authority suggests large cans with vegetables and proteins. No out-of-date, damaged or open canned goods will be accepted.
