MIFA director tells Hutchison girls about opportunities

Recounts history, group’s founding

Metropolitan Inter-faith Association executive director Sally Heinz recently spoke to the Hutchison Leads: Sophomore Leadership Locally group about work with nonprofit organizations and service in the community.

Heinz discussed the founding of MIFA during the civil rights turmoil of 1968 and how these leaders solved problems collaboratively while coming from such diverse backgrounds. From the founding of MIFA, she went on to discuss the importance of Volunteers in Service to America coming to MIFA in 1974. There was a special connection between the school and these programs — Hutchison alumna Julia Allen (class of ’43) was the first VISTA volunteer to work at MIFA.

From Meals on Wheels to College Offers Opportunities for Life, MIFA serves more than 55,000 people in the Memphis area today. Longtime Memphian and Hutchison alumna Julia Allen, Class of 1943, was the first VISTA volunteer to work at MIFA, according to MIFA executive director Sally Heinz during her talk to the Hutchison Leads: Sophomore Leadership Locally group.

Heinz ended her lecture by discussing the opportunities for a life of service and a career that could change the world.

Hutchison Leads is a leadership program for upper-school girls providing the resources to empower innovative and ethical leaders for the future by facilitating experiences in public policy development, private sector initiatives and service learning opportunities.

S teve O’dell is community relations coordinator for Hutchison School.