RIFA’s Bus Stop Cafe rolls out to combat student hunger in Jackson

March 8, 2024

Ryan Hodges,

JACKSON, Tenn. — With spring break for Jackson-Madison County right around the corner, one local non-profit is looking to help out those who may miss some meals.

According to the Regional Inter-Faith Association, or RIFA, almost 19% of students in Jackson-Madison County are food insecure. This means during summer, fall break or spring break, it is hard for these students to have meals that they would normally receive at school. However, RIFA has a plan to help out.

Tracie Barnard, the volunteer coordinator at RIFA, tells us about their Bus Stop Cafe.

“What do we do during the summertime? Hunger doesn’t take a vacation. The food fairy doesn’t show up on the door. So what do you do? The answer to that question and to that prayer was the Bus Stop Cafe. Thanks to some generous donors in the community, we received that school bus in 2018. We had it refurbished, pulled out all the seats, and put in lunch counters,” said Barnard.

The Bus Stop Cafe will go around to different areas in Jackson to provide lunches. Barnard tells us more about the importance of this service.

“So when school is closed, whether it’s for a short time for spring break, or for a long time over the summer break, we still want to make sure that our children are taken care of. Part of RIFA’s mission is to reach out and lift up, and to fight against hunger, and to provide physical nourishment,” said Barnard.

Barnard also tells us how people can help them in multiple different ways.

“You can donate items that go in those snack backpacks. Our website, our social media platforms, we also have Amazon wish lists specifically for this program that makes it super easy to purchase. People can volunteer. I’m the volunteer coordinator so I’m always happy to have people call,” said Barnard.

The spring break schedule for the Bus Stop Cafe is Monday, March 11th through Friday, March 15th. Locations are as follows: Allenton Heights, Parkway East, Lincoln Courts, Royal Arms, Rolling Acres, Villages of Old Hickory, Hartland Place, and The Flats at Midtown.