Food Drives: How to find help and how to give it
Lindenwood Christian Church member Olivia Miller distributes bags of corn flakes to the people lined up Saturday morning for the food giveaway. (Greg Campbell/Special to The Daily Memphian)
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With Thanksgiving right around the corner and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) still in limbo due to the federal shutdown, people in the Mid-South have wondered both where they can get free meals and where they can help others in the community.
901 Community Fridges
Community fridges that are constantly accessible, and residents can both take what they need or stock the fridges to help others. The fridges are located at the addresses below:
- 1000 Cooper St.
- 360 Tillman St.
- 685 S. Highland St.
- 7400 Cordova Club Drive E.
- 472 Marianna St.
- 1122 College St.
- 999 Pearce St.
Brinkley Heights Ministries
Located at 3286 Rosamond Ave., Brinkley Heights’ food pantry is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to noon. A photo ID card is required, and a Social Security number for all family members. Families in need should arrive by 9:30 a.m., with the first 20 families being served.
Catholic Charities of West Tennessee
The organization provides food resources, with the days and times food resources can be accessed on its website. A photo ID and proof of residency are required.
- Mondays through Thursdays, 9-11 a.m., or by appointment at 1325 Jefferson Ave., 901-722-4702
- Tuesdays through Thursdays, 1-2:30 p.m., or by appointment at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 297 S. Fourth St.
- Tuesdays, 10-11 a.m., at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, 1225 US-51 in Covington
- Tuesdays, 1-2:30 p.m., at St. Augustine Catholic Church, 1169 Kerr Ave.
Catholic Charities also offer a Daily Meal Bag service, which includes clothing and hygiene kits on Wednesday mornings starting at 8 a.m. until supplies last at Catholic Charities Midtown Outreach Center, 85 N. Cleveland St.
Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry
Located within Christ Missionary Baptist Church on South Parkway East, the Fishes and Loaves offers meals and a food pantry on Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to noon. A Tennessee or Shelby County ID is required.
Little Free Pantries
A national organization similar to the concept of 901 Community Fridges, Little Free Pantries are places where people can pick up or drop off non-perishable items, as there is no refrigeration. Memphis locations are as follows:
- Orange Mound Outreach Ministries, 845 Marechelneil St.
- Morning Sun Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 2682 Morning Sun Road
- Blessing Box, 590 Jennette Place
- Eagle Heights Community Church Box, 9408 Macon Road
- Epiphany Community Garden Pantry, Bray Station Road
Mid-South Food Bank
The Mid-South Food Bank’s mobile pantries will be at the Houston Levee Community Center, providing meals starting at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12.
It will also be at the Poplar Plaza Shopping Center, at the corner of Poplar Avenue and Highland Street, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., for the “Day of Giving” Friday, Nov. 14. A collaboration between local media outlets, residents can pick up non-perishable food items during the event or make monetary or food donations.
To learn more or see where the mobile pantries will be each week, visit midsouthfoodbank.org.
MidSouth Orthopaedic Rehab
In collaboration with Memphis Moms and MOJOPelvic Health, MidSouth Orthopaedic Rehab is hosting a community food drive to benefit The First Congo Food Justice Program, running through Wednesday, Nov. 26. The clinic is accepting non-perishable food items, and drop-off donations are as follows:
- 256 Germantown Bend Cove, Suite 102
- 364 New Byhalia Road, Suite 1
St. Patrick Catholic Church
The church’s mobile food pantry, located at 2772 Fourth St. is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 1-2:30 p.m. A photo ID is required.
YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South
Provides free daily meals to children (18 and under), Mondays-Fridays, at more than 50 different community centers, libraries, and neighborhood Christian centers. Visit their website to find the closest locations to you.
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