Would you like to be able to pay your parking fine while also helping out a fellow Huskie who’s facing food insecurity? For the week of Monday, Sept. 10 through Friday, Sept. 14, you can do that by participating in the NIU Parking Services Food for Fines program to benefit the Huskie Food Pantry.
If your citation is in an eligible category (see the list below) and was issued between Monday, Aug. 27 and Friday, Sept. 7, 2018, you can pay it with a specific food donation to the pantry.
Susan Bidstrup, NIU coordinator of parking and traffic, is organizing the program.
“I think it’s a great idea because we are giving back to NIU and our students who might be struggling with finances and unable to buy nutritious food,” says Bidstrup.
“Parking Services has never done this before,” she continues, “but we are hoping it will be successful and possibly we can do it each semester or year.”
The Huskie Food Pantry provides food to any NIU student who does not have a meal plan. It was founded in 2014 when NIU staff realized that many students don’t have meal plans and don’t qualify for food assistance programs. The mission of the Huskie Food Pantry is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment in which students can gather the resources needed to alleviate hunger, make healthy food choices and focus more on academic success than meeting their basic needs.
The eligible citations that may be paid with food donations are:
· No NIU Registration
· Permit Not Valid For Lot
· Improper Display of Permit
· Improper Parking
· No Parking Zone
· Overtime Meter
· Overtime Parking
· Failure to Remove Old Permit
· Transferable Permit Not Displayed
· Visitor Fee
Would you like to know which food items are necessary to pay for your particular citation? Take a look at the Parking Services website for a full list.
To participate, bring the required food items to Parking Services, 121 Normal Road, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10, through Friday, Sept. 14. A limit of one citation per vehicle can be paid through the Food for Fines program.
We will not be accepting any products that are expired or damaged.
Questions? Contact parking services at parking@niu.edu or call 815-753-1045.
