RIFA aims to provide 1,000 meal bags this holiday season

JACKSON, Tenn. — Stuffing, corn, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce as far as you can see — soon to be packaged and given away. Last year, RIFA gave away over 800 meal bags for the holidays. This year, they’re giving away even more.

“1,000 bags easily will go out this holiday season,” said Gracie Sloan, RIFA marketing and events coordinator.

This is on top of the hundreds of meals they serve every day through the Snack Backpack program and soup kitchen.

“We have volunteers in here every day helping sort through these items, sort through these bags, stuff the bags, every step of the process,” Sloan said.

RIFA’s main food warehouse is stacked floor to ceiling with food. Sloan says in just a few weeks there will be complete turnover, because all of the food will be given away.

“People are turning to us every day,” Sloan said. “We’re seeing an increasing number of people turning to us, often for the first time.”

But just a short time ago, they didn’t know if it was possible to feed all these people.

“A few weeks ago, if you asked us if we were going to have enough hams and turkeys for these holiday bags, we would have said no,” Sloan said. “But again, the community just continues to step up. The Lord answers so many prayers. Now we have an abundance of turkeys and hams. That’s just how things work around here at RIFA.”

It costs about $21 to fund one of these boxes, which feeds a family of four. If you are interested in donating, click here.

RIFA will also be doing a to-go style Thanksgiving meal starting at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday at their soup kitchen.