The idea came from one of our youth in 2016. He asked a simple question: every Ramadan we give back daily — what if we also used Ramadan to honor the people who give back all year long?

That's how the Appreciation Iftar began. Each year during the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until dusk; the meal that breaks the fast at sunset is called iftar. Ours is hosted by families, businesses, and MMY, and we use it to honor the nonprofit leaders and community volunteers who serve Middle Tennessee alongside us all year.

The first Appreciation Iftar in 2016 was quiet — only a handful of guests. Since then it's grown into one of our flagship events, drawing hundreds of community members each year for a meal that says, simply: thank you.

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AWARDEES

2024 Awardees

• Organization of the year: Rutherford Arts Alliance

• Person of the year: Lacey Wilkins

2023 Awardees

• Organization of the year: Community Helpers of Rutherford County

• Person of the year: Mary Watkins

2022 Awardees

• Organization of the year: Read to Succeed

• Person of the year: Katie Wilson (NAACP)

2020 & 2021

• 2020 & 2021 were skipped due to covid

2019 Awardees

• Organization of the year: Nourish Food Bank

• Person of the year: Nathan Reed (Community Care)

2018 Awardees

• Organization of the year: Child Advocacy Center

• Person of the year: Layken Sanders (Soles for Souls)

2017 Awardees

• Organization of the year: Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault

• Person of the year: Dan Allen (Murfreesboro Cold Patrol)