JACKSON, Tennessee – The Regional Inter-Faith Association (RIFA) is in need of volunteers to help work the Pack the Bus food drive on Saturday, August 3.
Pack the Bus is a food drive event that benefits the Snack Backpack ministry. This ministry provides kid-friendly, easy-to-prepare, nutritious food to elementary school children who have little to no food over the weekends. The food collected from Pack the Bus will be used to fill each Snack Backpack.
The food drive event will be held Saturday, August 3 – 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. – at Kroger Stonebrook (41 Stonebrook Place), Kroger University (35 West University Parkway), Walmart North (2196 Emporium Drive), Sam’s Club (2120 Emporium Drive), and Walmart South (2171 South Highland Avenue).
Three shifts are available for volunteers at the five supermarkets – 8:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., 10:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., and 1:15 p.m. – 4 p.m.
A fourth time slot – 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., is also available at RIFA to move the donated food from the buses to the warehouse.
A school bus will be parked at each of the supermarkets. RIFA staff and volunteers will be passing out shopping lists as people enter the store, and collecting any food and money contributions donated as people exit the store.
Volunteers will also be moving the donated food to the bus parked outside each store. Because this event is outdoors, volunteers should be aware of the heat and should be prepared to stand for the duration of their shift. This is a great opportunity for individuals and small groups to get involved in the community.
RIFA provides Snack Backpacks to approximately 1,300 children at Jackson-Madison County elementary schools each week during the school year. Each Snack Backpack provides a child with six meals and two snacks. To volunteer, please visit https://www.signupgenius.com/ go/10C0B45A9AE2DA5FFC70-49825818-pack#/ and sign up for the time slot and location desired.
Please contact Erin Mount with any questions at [email protected] or 731-427-7963.
About RIFA – In 1976, local churches and community leaders formed the Regional Inter-Faith Association (RIFA) to address the needs of the growing number of people living in poverty in Jackson, Tennessee. Today, RIFA’s vision is to lead and engage the community in the fight against hunger. RIFA is a Christian nonprofit organization that reaches out with the love of Christ to help people in need by providing physical and spiritual nourishment.
