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Who We Are

Mission & History

Our Mission

To reach out with the love of Christ to help people in need by providing physical and spiritual nourishment.

Our Vision

To lead and engage the community in the fight against hunger.

We exist because food insecurity is a major problem in Jackson-Madison County. According to Feeding America, 26.4% of children in Madison County are food-insecure. United Way of West Tennessee reports that 44% of all households in Jackson live in poverty or earn just above the federal poverty level but not enough to make ends meet.

Our Values

Glory to God

As we trust God to guide and direct us, we will give all that we are to Him – our strengths and our weaknesses, the challenges and the glory – for all good things come from His hand.

Excellence

We will pursue excellence with diligence, humility, and moral virtue, while striving to honor God in all things by reflecting His character in every effort.

Compassion

We will treat all people with kindness, respect, and dignity, loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Accountability

We will hold one another accountable and work together in a spirit of unity, as we serve others to the best of our ability.

Integrity

All actions we take and decisions we make, seen and unseen, will be ethical, transparent, and trustworthy.

Vision

We will seek God individually and corporately to develop a vision for the future as we grow in effectiveness and excellence.

Our History

  • 1976RIFA was established as the Regional Inter-Faith Association with Rev. Gary Scheidt as the first Executive Director. The office was located in Jones Hall at the old Union University in downtown Jackson.

  • 1977-1978RIFA coordinated Food Fairs in the parking lot of the old West Jackson Baptist Church, which was the beginning of today’s Farmers Market.

  • 1992RIFA moved to the old Clean Linen building at 219 N. Highland Avenue.

  • 1996The RIFA Thrift Store opens.

  • 1996The local Community Soup Kitchen became one of RIFA’s ministries.

  • 2005Snack Backpack ministry started with one school and 25 children served.

  • 2005RIFA begins operating an independent Food Bank.

  • 2005First annual Canstruction fundraiser held at the Jackson Fairgrounds.

  • 2009Lisa Tillman becomes Executive Director of RIFA.

  • 2012Moved to the former Nando Jones building at 133 Airways Boulevard.

  • 2014Canstruction moved to the Civic Center on its 10th anniversary.

  • 2014RIFA was named the Jackson Chamber’s Nonprofit of the Year.

  • 2015RIFA graduates from the Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence’s Program for Nonprofit Excellence (PNE).

  • 2019RIFA started the Bus Stop Cafe.

  • 2024RIFA distributed 590,020 meals.

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