RIFA feeds homeless community on Christmas Day

JACKSON, Tenn. – A little Christmas cheer served with ham, turkey, masked potatoes and green peas.

Regional Inter-Faith Association, also known as RIFA, gave out meals to the needy and homeless population in West Tennessee. Leaders with the RIFA Soup Kitchen say they will feed anyone regardless.

“Just come to RIFA. It is a no questions asked soup kitchen. You walk in through that door and we are going to feed you,” said manager of the soup kitchen, Susan MacFarlane.

But that’s not all. People got to take a little bag of goodies that Santa left for them.

“Enough for us to make a little gift bag for the patrons. It’s going to have water, cookies, notepad and paper, and it will have hats or gloves,” said MacFarlane.

Enough gifts to make the people feel extra special and loved for Christmas. Volunteers say they love lending a helping hand to those in the community.

“Just smiling back at them and looking at them and showing them that people care,” said George Tennyson, who is a volunteer at the soup kitchen. ” [It’s] about them and everybody this time of year is and this is the reason I do what I do for them.”

The RIFA Soup Kicthen is open 365 days a year serving breakfast and lunch.