Help Us Meet Our Match!

The Foundation for the Red Bank Public Library is pleased to  announce that two board members have each committed to make a matching gift of up to $1,000 to encourage others to join in financially supporting the Red Bank Public Library through donations to the recently formed Foundation. 

Virginia Papandrea who is the library’s Director made the initial offer, which was quickly followed by a similar offer from John Grandits who is the President of the Library Board of Trustees.  Both Ms. Papandrea and Mr. Grandits also serve on the Foundation’s Board of Directors.  Ms. Papandrea said that she made the offer to show her commitment to the library and its vital role in the community.  Mr. Grandits echoed this sentiment adding, “We want to signal both the firmness of our dedication to the fiscal health of the library, as well as the need for community support.”

Foundation President Audrey Oldoerp said, “These gifts provide a wonderful incentive for residents and the business community to join us in helping secure the financial future of the library.” 

The Foundation for the Red Bank Public Library is a separate nonprofit organization formed earlier this year to raise private funds to supplement the library’s public funding.  The library provides a wealth of services and programs available to all from assistance with e-books and resume building to art programs and access to the Internet.  However, Ms. Papandrea noted that current levels of municipal funding and state aid are insufficient to sustain a dynamic public library adding that budgetary shortfalls have led to decreased hours of operation and limiting additions to collections.   “We are anxious to get back to full hours to better serve the public, but we won’t be able to do that without financial help. I believe my matching gift offer will highlight our challenges and encourage others to contribute.”

The Foundation offers a number of recognition opportunities for donors depending on gift levels from acknowledgment in the library’s quarterly newsletter to permanent recognition and various naming opportunities at the library.  If you are interested in making a gift or learning more about the Foundation for the Red Bank Public Library’s gift recognition levels, please contact Kathleen Brown @ kcb313@gmail.com or 732-673-4384.

Checks payable to “The Foundation for the Red Bank Public Library” can be sent to: Foundation for the Red Bank Public Library, 84 W. Front Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701.