Local food bank needs your vote every day

F.O.R. Maricopa, the local food bank, needs residents to help them win a $250,000 Pepsi Refresh Grant.

Founded in 2007 to provide food, opportunities and resources (F.O.R.) to Maricopa and neighboring community residents, the food bank is currently feeding 180 families each week on Monday mornings and Thursday evenings. In 2009 26,000 people were served.

The Pepsi Refresh Grant would enable F.O.R. to relocate to a new, much safer, permanent site. The present location is a double-wide trailer at the end of a dirt road on the outskirts of Maricopa, which has been flooded from time to time.

F.O.R. needs a loading dock, walk-in freezers, stainless steel mult-compartment sinks, fire sprinklers and a public restroom. To really provide the services needed, the location should have phones, computer and Internet services to keep track of clients and their needs.

The grant money would provide land, a building and building improvements.

How can residents help F.O.R. win this grant?

Until Nov. 30 you can both text and email each day. Go to www.refresheverything.com/formaricopafoodbank to vote and then text Pepsi (73774) 104099.

“We need these funds to help us get a new place to live with some more appropriate equipment for the food that we have to serve the people that we see every week,” said F.O.R. executive director Wendy Webb. 

“We can do this Maricopa. We can make this happen.”

Submitted photo