Brandon Free Public Library (BFPL) has teamed up with the teen and children’s librarians at Rutland Free Library for a food fight to bring in donations to BROC Community Action’s food shelf and the Little Free Food Pantry at the Brandon Free Public Library (BFPL).

How it works: both libraries are taking food or cash donations through the end of November. Dry goods, pantry staples, canned goods, and pasta are welcome. Each item or dollar is one point. The library with the most points at the end wins bragging rights and a trophy that the “loser” can try to win back next year.

“Our community has answered whenever we’ve asked for help to stock our pantry,” Carey Bunker said, the librarian at BFPL who started the Little Free Food Pantry program last fall when the first round of SNAP cuts went into effect. “In this ‘food fight’ everyone wins. With our local food shelf open for limited hours, I hoped that we could help out a bit by having some items available during our open hours. I expected that we’d get donations to get through the winter, but as it turns out, we’re still getting them. The pantry is used far more than we anticipated. Times are tough. It’s a small thing we can do to help.”

Donations for Rutland Library and BROC can be dropped off at the front desk at 10 Court St. in Rutland. Donations for the Little Free Food Pantry can be brought to the desk at BFPL at 4 Franklin St. in Brandon

For those in need, the Little Free Food Pantry is available right inside the library to the left, whenever the library is open.