MAPLE RIDGE – Lisa Beare, MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows, is launching the “Thanks for Giving” Food Bank Drive in support of the Friends In Need Food Bank in Maple Ridge.

“I visited the Friends In Need Food Bank this summer and saw first-hand the critical work that they do for people in our community,” said Beare. “I’m proud to be a part of a government that is putting people first and working to make their lives more affordable. But after 16 years of neglect, there’s a lot of work to do, and many people in our community continue to rely on their local food bank.”

Each day of the “Thanks for Giving” Food Bank Drive – from October 2 to 14 – a different much-needed item will be featured on Beare’s Facebook page at fb.me/lisabeare and on her Twitter account @lisabeare.

“A third of food bank clients in Maple Ridge are children, so we want to encourage people to donate kids snacks and baby items like diapers and wipes in addition to other non-perishable food items,” said Beare.

“Thanksgiving is a time of great need for local food banks and I am so glad that we are able to collect donated items through our community office.”

From October 2 to 14, donations can be dropped off at Beare’s constituency office Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or on Saturday, October 14 at the office’s grand opening from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows constituency office is located at 104-20130 Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge, and can be reached at 604-465-9299.