Sorority joins soup kitchen for worship, day of service
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JACKSON, Tenn. — The women of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority joined with the RIFA Soup Kitchen for their National Day of Service. Robert Wynne is just one of the patrons who enters the doors of the soup kitchen each day. “I just come to talk to people and get a meal,” Wynne said. Monday, as the serving line opened up on schedule, there were some volunteers serving for a special reason. “We are here to serve all, so being that was one of Dr. King’s dreams, we’re here to provide just that,” Tracy Perkins, vice president of the Gamma Alpha Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha said. The women in pink and green flooded the kitchen to pass out meals in honor of Dr. King’s mission. “One of our national programs deals with hunger and helping those in need of food,” the chapter’s president, Kimberly Hicks, said. Some at RIFA call it a place of spiritual growth. “Sometimes, it’s just better for your spirit if you can just communicate with people in a godly setting, just be joyous with them,” said Lauretta Savage, a regular kitchen attendee. “It helps you through all issues of life.” For Wynne, he says he graduated from Jackson’s East High School when students were still segregated, but coming to the kitchen proves the racist barrier continues to break down in West Tennessee. “That’s just how it was. Things have really changed, though. Since then — they’ve come a long way. I’ll put it that way,” Wynne said. As another day wrapped up in RIFA’s kitchen, volunteers said Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would be proud. To learn how you can volunteer with RIFA, visit their website, www.rifajackson.org.
