The pandemic has changed a lot about how we live our lives, including how much spare change we spend. It has caused a nationwide coin shortage.
That's become a problem for many small businesses, especially for laundromats, gaming facilities and coffee shops that are more cash intensive, said Diane Lanier, executive vice president and chief retail officer at Heartland Bank in Bloomington.
“I know here in Bloomington-Normal, I’ve heard some businesses who have signs up who don’t give change,” Lanier explained. “They ask you to use plastic, a debit card or credit card or you may not get change.”
Heartland Bank has started a Coins for the Community campaign to tie with in the national #GetCoinMoving campaign on social media. The bank will give $5 to United Way of McLean County for every coin collection that customers bring to the bank to put back into circulation.
“We have seen some positive reaction already from people who are bringing in some coin from home, maybe from those vacations they can’t take,” Lanier said.
Heartland Bank branches in Bloomington, Normal, Carlock, Chenoa, Lexington will be participating in the campaign through Aug. 15.
The Federal Reserve announced in July plans to convene a U.S. Coin Task Force to work on solutions.
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