Q: What is MIFA, who do you serve and how long have you been around?
MIFA (Memphis Inter-Faith Association) was founded in 1968 after the assassination of Martin Luther King by an alliance of clergy and community leaders who sought solutions to issues Memphis was facing. Sadly many of those issues are still prevalent today.
Memphis has the highest food insecurity rate of any major metropolitan area in the nation and since 1976, our answer has been Meals on Wheels. Other programs for families provide services to prevent homelessness, stabilize families, and encourage independence. Our interfaith legacy remains central to our identity, fostering a stronger, healthier community.
Q: Have you experienced greater demand for your services relative to the pandemic?
MIFA has a long history of adapting and innovating. The pandemic brought new challenges, but we found ways to serve more of those who needed us by implementing a delivery model that mitigated risk to seniors. We received three times our typical applications from March 2020 to March 2021 and served 100,000 more meals than the year before.
Q: How can our readers help?
The pandemic has reduced our meal delivery workforce by half so we are recruiting new volunteers. Our holiday card campaign is one of MIFA’s key annual fundraisers. For just $10 per card, you can send us your recipient list, and our volunteers will do the rest!
For more information visit mifa.org