The Monroe County Library System will offer fine amnesty for the entire month of July for patrons with overdue books and materials. The month-long program will replace the Fine Friendly First Friday, which is usually offered on the first Friday of the month throughout the year.
In order to qualify for amnesty, library patrons are asked […]

The Monroe Evening News has this story for page 1A of today’s print and e-editions: Creative steps next step to help homeless.
A snippet:
Numerous local organizations have teamed up to help fight homelessness in Monroe County, but there’s plenty more to be done.
The next step could be a local housing trust fund that helps fill in […]

Here’s a headline from page 1A of today’s print and e-editions of The Monroe Evening News that should get your attention:
Did you forget something? Thousands haven’t filed for stimulus checks
A snippet:
The Internal Revenue Service estimates that about 2,028 Monroe County residents who receive Social Security or veteran’s benefits haven’t filed for economic stimulus tax payments […]

I noticed traffic was a bit busier than usual at Millennium Coin Laundry on Monroe St. in Monroe during the past few days. I used that laundry service when our old washing machine broke, so I know how to use the machines there - basically you feed money onto a card to pay for your […]

The Salvation Army of Monroe County just sent a fax to The Monroe Evening News with a “desperate” appeal for donations to its food distribution program.
“We have never seen our food supply for distribution so low,” said Kyle Hudson, emergency case worker for the local Salvation Army.
The announcement cites “a spiraling cycle of hard times” […]

I just dropped off a box to Goodwill in Monroe: mostly clothes, some craft supplies, a couple of mis-matched mugs.
The clerks always offer me a tax receipt, although I decline. I haven’t quite jumped into the mentality of all the record-keeping that would involve with Goodwill donations.
But I did keep the receipts for home and […]

If you have non-perishable food that you are able to donate to a food pantry, but haven’t yet made a drop off, the U.S. mail carrier can pick up the donation for you Saturday May 10.
The National Association of Letter Carriers is hosting its annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive on that day. All you […]

My co-worker Charles Slat has this story for 1D of today’s print and e-editions of The Monroe Evening News and at www.monroenews.com:
Food for thought: firm backs school backpack program to aid hungry students, families.
This photo by Kim Brent is of students filling the backpacks with groceries. It’s pretty much a word-of-mouth situation directly benefiting students […]

Have your coupon and rebate skills gotten to the point where you can acquire toothbrushes and toothpaste for free? The local food closets indeed could use those items if your family has its supply taken care of.
The St. Vincent de Paul food closet at St. Mary Catholic Church in Monroe put a note in the […]

Michigan Catholic, the official newspaper for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit, has a feature story this week about the God Works! soup kitchen dinners at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Temperance.
God Works! is based in Monroe. Building upon the efforts of two churches that were already providing free community dinners to […]