With the steep rise in unemployment due to the coronavirus, food insecurity is a growing issue in cities such as Memphis, Tennessee. Individuals and families who were already facing social and economic challenges are left even more vulnerable due to the pandemic and are increasingly relying on governmental and non-profit organizations for assistance.
In an effort to meet this need, on Monday, June 22, 2020, the Ismaili Council for the Southeastern USA, in collaboration with Focus Humanitarian Assistance and the Mid-South Food Bank, organized the very first mobile food pantry at the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Collierville, Tennessee. This was a continuation of a partnership through which I-CERV volunteers had initiated a COVID-19 Recovery Food Drive, and dropped off over 10,000 pounds of non-perishable food to the Mid-South Food Bank just a few weeks prior to this mobile food pantry event.
The Mid-South Food Bank typically distributes just over a million pounds of food a month to the local population. Due to the economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization is anticipating the need to surge to four million pounds per month.
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Rahim Panjwani, one of the I-CERV volunteers, said, “There is a big need for people to come together and help each other. As a Muslim community, we are taught to be generous with our means and our resources.”
At 7:45 am, over two hours before the official start time of the mobile pantry food distribution, Linda Smith drove into the Memphis Jamatkhana parking lot. The first participant to arrive, she waited patiently in her car while the I-CERV volunteers created food packages from items that had been dropped off earlier that morning from the Mid-South Food Bank.
When asked about what this food pantry means to her, Linda said, “It is a blessing. My two sons and two grandsons have moved in with me recently because they lost their job. They are dependent on me.” Her story is similar to many other families who benefited from the food pantry.
Until the late afternoon, thirty I-CERV volunteers of all ages participated in the food pantry in various capacities. One team of
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youth volunteers warmly greeted each family that entered the parking lot and guided them to where they filled out a form that allowed other volunteers to assess how many boxes of food would be needed to feed the family.
Each family received several boxes of quality food filled with rice, tortillas, bagels, milk, oranges, potatoes, bell peppers, and granola bars. I-CERV volunteers placed these boxes in the cars of the families. Throughout the entire process, the families stayed in their cars to ensure contactless and safe interactions.
“Each interaction with those who came through was pleasant and heart-warming, as each person came with a positive attitude, demonstrating their gratitude towards the program and the volunteers,” said Amal Panjwani, a youth volunteer.
This successful event and partnership between the Memphis Ismaili Community and the Mid-South Food Bank resulted in the distribution of a total of 350 boxes to 200 families, demonstrating the Jamat’s commitment to collaborating with other local organizations who share our values of community service, generosity, and compassion.
