At MIFA office loading the car with nutritious meals for delivery to seniors in our community!

We hear about it in the news or read about it online: the number of Memphians who struggle with food insecurity, but I didn’t really get it until today when I delivered meals to homebound seniors with MIFA’s Meals on Wheels program.

When I arrived at the MIFA (Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association) offices this morning, the staging area of the Meals on Wheels department was lined with cooler after cooler and box after box of meals. My first thought was how wonderful it was to see so much warm food going to our neighbors in need.

Driving around, delivering the meals, I began taking in the reality of some of the living conditions: broken windows covered with tape and cardboard; so much structural decay that I wondered how the house was still standing; the smell of natural gas coming from inside the home as residents try to stay warm. How can so many people in Memphis lack access to affordable, nutritious food?

Worries? Problems? Sure, we all have them. For many of us, our concerns may be landing the big account at work; getting a first-class seat on a full flight; ensuring the table looks spectacular for the holiday dinner; or finding the perfect present for that loved one on our list who has everything.

After today, I may not “get it” on the level as some of our Memphis neighbors, but I sure have a new awareness of how serious food insecurity is in our city.

MIFA is an incredible organization that provides life saving services to those most vulnerable in Memphis. MIFA desperately needs volunteers! I’ve signed up to deliver meals again December 19, and I’d love for you to join me! To find out more about MIFA and how you can help, please visit their website http://www.mifa.org/