FAST FACTS:
( Memphis 4/8/2010) Louise Clark is one of the 2,200 people in Shelby County who receive a hot meal from the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA) everyday.
Due to health issues, the 88-year-old has a hard time leaving her home and says the meals keep her going, "It's very important because a person in my condition, I don't feel like fixing."
Mary Murphy, who lives right next door, is the same age and is also homebound.
Murphy is on a waiting list to participate in the "Meals on Wheels" program.
She says, for the time being, she'll just have to rely on family and the good Lord to get her by, "Yes, because I'm not at a place where I am able to get up and do like I used to."
Right now, MIFA doesn't have the money to help everyone on its waiting list.
The organization says the federal dollars it relies on are based on population size not need and, unfortunately, Shelby County continues to be undercounted.
"Right now, if you look at www.census.gov you will see that Shelby County's participation is about 57% and that is not only well below the average for Tennessee, but below the national average," said Jonathan Jones with MIFA.
MIFA has begun passing out refrigerator magnets reminding people to mail in their census forms and is even bringing in census workers to help people fill them out this time around.
MIFA says it would hate to see dollars it deserves go to other parts of the state that are better counted.
It would mean people like Mary Murphy would continue to do without.
"I'll just lay in the bed and wait," said Murphy.
MIFA says dollars from the city and private donations are helping them getting some people off their waiting list.
- MIFA wants to make sure everyone in Shelby County is counted in the 2010 Census
- MIFA says the funding it receives is based on population in the state and not need
- Right now there are a number of people on a waiting list for MIFA's "Meals on Wheels" program
( Memphis 4/8/2010) Louise Clark is one of the 2,200 people in Shelby County who receive a hot meal from the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA) everyday.
Due to health issues, the 88-year-old has a hard time leaving her home and says the meals keep her going, "It's very important because a person in my condition, I don't feel like fixing."
Mary Murphy, who lives right next door, is the same age and is also homebound.
Murphy is on a waiting list to participate in the "Meals on Wheels" program.
She says, for the time being, she'll just have to rely on family and the good Lord to get her by, "Yes, because I'm not at a place where I am able to get up and do like I used to."
Right now, MIFA doesn't have the money to help everyone on its waiting list.
The organization says the federal dollars it relies on are based on population size not need and, unfortunately, Shelby County continues to be undercounted.
"Right now, if you look at www.census.gov you will see that Shelby County's participation is about 57% and that is not only well below the average for Tennessee, but below the national average," said Jonathan Jones with MIFA.
MIFA has begun passing out refrigerator magnets reminding people to mail in their census forms and is even bringing in census workers to help people fill them out this time around.
MIFA says it would hate to see dollars it deserves go to other parts of the state that are better counted.
It would mean people like Mary Murphy would continue to do without.
"I'll just lay in the bed and wait," said Murphy.
MIFA says dollars from the city and private donations are helping them getting some people off their waiting list.
