MIFA History II continued MIFA Founded in September, 1968 On September 15, 1968, considered the date of the founding of MIFA, thirty representatives from various denominations unanimously adopted the constitution of the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association at St. Mary's Cathedral. An interim board was named: Dean Dimmick, St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Chair; Margaret Dichtel, Catholic layperson; The Reverend Frank McRae, District Superintendent, United Methodist Church, Jerrold Moore, Assistant to the Mayor; Autry Parker, Methodist layperson; The Reverend Henry Starks, St. James A.M.E.; Annabelle Whittemore, Episcopal layperson. The new leaders met with little success as they began to recruit congregations to join the new endeavor. Many claimed that while they might be willing to join as individuals they were opposed to a congregational commitment to a program over which they would have such limited control. Waddy West, one of those charged with recruitment, pointed out that “the idea of joining together was new, of having a central voice that would speak for all. Churches were frightened by this.” By April $30,000 had been raised, mostly from the Meeman Foundation, the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. and the United Methodist Church. The Reverend Berkeley Poole was hired as Executive Director. He began working out of MIFA's first office, one tiny, rather dingy room at 43 S. Cleveland. Poole remembers two distinct factions on the Board. “One wanted MIFA to be a bridge among churches. The other wanted a greater presence in social concerns. The latter is what appealed most to me.” Members of the first Board recall MIFA's tremendous struggle to achieve credibility. Frank McRae remembers that “we were referred to as 'The MAFIA,' an unfortunate transposition.” Bishop Fred Gates observes that “it took a while for MIFA to work out its identity and purpose.” Frank Campbell points out that the concept of MIFA, as a behind-the-scenes enabler was not viable because “there is no way to get support for an invisible entity.” Walk Jones speaks of those early days as “Hard times. MIFA was broke AND involved in activities that were not popular.” Among those activities undertaken in 1970 was a committee on Improving Police Community Relations, An Orientation to the City for new clergy, and an Afro-American Studies Conference. When this conference inspired determination to assist in stemming the flow of White flight from established neighborhoods, MIFA became actively involved in stabilizing such a neighborhood with the Vollentine Evergreen Community Association, VECA. According to Poole, MIFA became “the catalyst, the facilitator, the midwife for VECA.” A MIFA Task Force on Juvenile Delinquency recommended ways to assist students returning from state correctional schools to the community. MIFA helped the Fund for Needy School Children match churches with public schools to provide needed services for poverty level students. After two years of struggle, initial funding was running out. Berkeley Poole resigned as Executive Director to return to pastoral work. Board members feared that MIFA had become “stagnant,” knew that it had run out of money, and were close to pronouncing it dead. Next: Smith Hired as Part-Time MIFA Executive Director