Letter From the Chairman/CEO

Dear Supporters and Contributors,

As we enter another holiday season, Feed The Needy welcomes you with hope and gratitude. This year marks our 32nd Thanksgiving event and our 10th Easter initiative—milestones that reflect the enduring spirit of a community coming together to lift up neighbors in need.

We are profoundly grateful for your steadfast support, which continues to make this mission possible. At a time when many families are burdened by the rising costs of food, housing, utilities, medical care, and other necessities, your generosity brings more than relief—it brings hope. Your gifts of time, compassion, and financial support help ensure that Feed The Needy families can experience the holidays with dignity, comfort, and the reassurance that they are not alone.
 
According to the University of Memphis 2025 Poverty Fact Sheet, Memphis’s poverty rate has risen to 24%, up from 22.6% the previous year. Child poverty is now 31.3% and has increased in each of the last four years. Among large metropolitan areas with populations over 1,000,000, the Memphis metropolitan area ranks second in overall poverty and first in child poverty.

•    Provide Thanksgiving and Easter food baskets that bring comfort and joy
•    Promote nutrition and healthy eating for stronger families and brighter futures
•    Strengthen local food pantries and after-school programs that serve as lifelines in our community
Our annual efforts to prepare and distribute donations have become cherished traditions—moments when compassion is turned into action and generosity becomes a source of hope. Thank you for sharing your time, talents, and resources. Because of you, lives are touched, burdens are eased, and our community grows stronger.
 
Since the global pandemic, the need for assistance has grown even more urgent, underscoring the importance of this mission. We are seeking additional funding to meet rising food costs and to sustain a program that continues to bring comfort, stability, and hope to families across our community.
 
The families we serve through Feed The Needy remind us of every day of the power of compassion and the importance of standing together in service to others. Thank you for walking alongside us in this work, and please accept our warmest wishes and heartfelt appreciation.
Kind regards,
Ruth Rawlings-Banks
Chairman / CEO