Notice Board

The Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA) presents a session with the executive director of the Lethbridge Food Bank, Maral Kiani Tari, as she discusses the need for food security and in particular, ensuring children always have access to food.

Lethbridge Food Bank Started Out as a Stop Gap Measure: 35 Years Later, what has Changed?

Date:               Thursday, Dec 13, 2018
Time:               Doors open 11:30 a.m., Presentation 12 noon, buffet lunch 12:30 p.m., Q&A 1 – 1:30 p.m. 
Location:         Royal Canadian Legion (north door) 324 Mayor Magrath Dr. S. Lethbridge 
Cost:                $14 buffet lunch with dessert/coffee/tea/juice or $2 coffee/tea/juice. RSVP not required

Since 1982, the Lethbridge Food Bank has been operated in the community of Lethbridge and serving the surrounding area with a “food share” program. Lethbridge is home to nearly 100,000 people and growing, making the Lethbridge Food Bank an important part of a vibrant community, ensuring a food security resource for families in need. As a non-profit organization, donations from individuals and businesses are essential.

During the fall of 2017, the Lethbridge Food Bank, in partnership with My City Care, began the Mindful Munchies program, providing students in need, nutritional food items to help them succeed in the classroom. The program started with 11 schools and agencies and 600 lunches a week. However, within a few months, that number grew to 16 schools/agencies and close to 1,100 lunches a week. As of September 2018, the numbers were 19 schools/agencies with 1,400 lunches a week.

Child poverty in Canada is no illusion and the Lethbridge Food Bank is trying to help remove barriers to learning by aiding children and youth with food. Within the food bank numbers, out of the approximately 1,600 individuals served on a monthly bases, 40 per cent are children. The speaker will detail the myriad services food banks provide and highlight the need to support children and youth with an opportunity to succeed and for people to support agencies who are investing in children’s futures.

Speaker:          Maral Kiani Tari

Maral Kiani Tari graduated from the University of Calgary with a BA in Law & Society and furthered her education at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, completing her Master of Public Administration (MPA) in 2014. Kiani Tari moved to Lethbridge in fall 2015 to be closer to her family.

Kiani Tari became the executive director of the Lethbridge Food Bank on October 17, 2016 and has enjoyed every moment giving back to the community and establishing the lunch program. Christmas is her favorite time of year and she enjoys every moment of the festive spirit with her husband and beautiful three-year-old daughter Aurora.

Moderator:     Knud Petersen

For more information on the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs, please visit the SACPA website.

Donations of non-perishable food items will gratefully be received by SACPA for Lethbridge food banks