Seven-year-old Selena Payes spent her summer raising money for the food bank.

She worked almost seven days a week selling lemonade from her stand outside her home on Cottonwood Drive. Her goal was to raise at least $2,000 for the Friends in Need Food Bank by the end of August. With the help of Virgin radio and London Drugs, Selena handed over a cheque for $2,843.66 this week.

"There's a lot of people in Maple Ridge who don't choose to be hungry," Selena said.

"It was fun to see all these people who believed in me."

Selena was inspired to fundraise this summer after she saw a story on TV about Alex's Lemonade Stand. The four-year-old Pennsylvania girl with cancer started a lemonade stand to help raise money to cure pediatric cancer. Selena wanted to do something similar to help families relying on the food bank, specifically children and babies.

"I find it amazing that someone so little can have such a huge heart," said Tiffany Parton, executive director of Friends in Need.

"That kid is one of the most gracious and passionate little girls I've met."

The food bank serves about 5,600 people in Maple Ridge, 1,700 of which are children under the age of 12. Parton says donations significantly drop in the summer, which only enhances the importance of Selena's contribution now.

"We've got about five to eight new registrations a day," Parton said.

"We can always double cash donations. So it's huge when people donate money like that."

Even though her lemonade stand is now closed, Selena plans to hold another fundraiser in November, selling hot chocolate. The proceeds will go towards the Friends in Need tiny bundles program, which provides essential baby items for mothers.