Maple Ridge, BC, April 14, 2025 – The Friends In Need Food Bank is urgently calling on the community for support after experiencing an unexpected and significant drop in the amount of perishable food collected from local grocery stores.
 
Since Friday, April 4th, the food bank has run out of food every day, unable to meet the growing needs of families, seniors, and individuals across Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows. This shortage comes despite regular daily pickups from major local grocery stores.
 
“We haven’t seen shortages like this since the height of the COVID 19 pandemic,” says Mary Robson, Executive Director of the Friends In Need Food Bank. “The food simply isn’t there to collect. We’re facing empty shelves, and our clients are going without. It’s heartbreaking.”
 
The food bank’s Perishable Food Recovery Facility, which typically collects thousands of pounds of nutritious surplus food weekly, has seen a dramatic decline in available donations from local grocery stores. This sharp reduction is leaving serious gaps in supply at a time when demand for food support continues to grow.
This shortage is believed to be driven by two key factors impacting the entire province:

• Ongoing supply chain disruptions the introduction of new U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, along with Canada's retaliatory measures, has disrupted supply chains. These trade tensions have led to increased costs and logistical challenges, affecting the availability and distribution of perishable goods in grocery stores.
• Rising food prices, Canada's Food Price Report forecasts a 3% to 5% increase in food prices for 2025. Higher food costs have forced retailers to tighten inventory and order more conservatively, meaning less excess food is available for redistribution.

 

How You Can Help

The Friends In Need Food Bank is urging individuals, businesses, and local farmers to donate food or funds to help bridge this critical gap. Donations of fresh and non-perishable items are gratefully accepted, and financial contributions allow the food bank to purchase urgently needed items in bulk.
To donate, visit: www.friendsneedfood.com/donate
Or call: 604-466-FOOD (3663)
 
“We are a strong and caring community,” says Robson. “With your help, we can make sure no one is turned away hungry.”
 
For more information, please contact
Mary Robson, Executive Director, Friends in Need Food Bank director@friendsneedfood.com / 604-466-3663 ext 204

About Friends In Need Food Bank
The Friends In Need Food Bank, which began as a series of community initiatives in the early 1980s and formally became a society in 1993, celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023. It has grown from modest beginnings to now assist over 800 households every week, operating out of a 3,200 square foot warehouse and an additional perishable food recovery facility, both situated in downtown Maple Ridge, BC.
 
Our mission is steadfast – to ensure no one in our community goes hungry.
 
The Friends In Need Food Bank is a volunteer-driven organisation, operating entirely through the generous contributions of our community, local organisations and business, and applicable grants. We receive no recurring government funding.
Food donations primarily come from local grocers, retailers, and community members, either individually or through organised food drives and events.
 
The Friends in Need Food Bank Society is a member of Food Banks BC and Food Banks Canada.
 
The Friends in Need Food Bank Society is a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency and a registered non- profit organisation. Registration # BC889138772RR0001.
 
Tax receipts are issued for donations of $20 or more.