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Rifa marks 50 years of community service; leaders describe meal programs, thrift store and volunteer needs
Summary
Representatives from Rifa described 50 years of service in Jackson and across West Tennessee, listing ministries (snack backpacks, soup kitchen, Senior Staples), volunteer opportunities, the website rifajackson.org, and reporting about 600,000 meals delivered annually and roughly 25,000 volunteer hours last year.
Representatives from Rifa told hosts the organization is celebrating 50 years of community service and invited the public to an anniversary event Feb. 12 at a warehouse location on Airways (address given on air as 133 Airways). They described daily services including a soup kitchen, snack-backpack program for schoolchildren, Senior Staples delivering food to six senior centers and a longtime thrift-store operation that funds programs.
A Rifa representative said the soup kitchen has remained open through recent winter weather and emphasized the ongoing need for volunteers. "If you want to volunteer, we have volunteers in our building every single day," the speaker said, noting a volunteer coordinator named Tracy and offering rifajackson.org as a contact point.
On scale, the representative said Rifa operates with about 20 on-site staff, reported roughly 25,000 volunteer hours donated last year and estimated the organization delivers about 600,000 meals annually. The guest encouraged community members to tour the facility during the anniversary celebration and to contact the volunteer coordinator for ongoing opportunities.
Organizers said thrift-store hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and reiterated that Rifa provides year-round assistance to food-insecure residents across Jackson and other West Tennessee counties.
