SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – Active listeners, compassionate and selfless are words that some may use to describe those who are community-oriented leaders. Some may also use those words to describe Pastors Charles and Yolanda Roberson.

Pastors of Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship in Savannah, the Robersons have led their congregation and community in hosting their Blessings on the Southside 1,000 Gifts and Groceries event for the past two years. This year’s event happening on Dec. 17 will be their third.

“So my vision for this was sparked during the pandemic. As you know, most of the churches were closed for in-person worship and we were really missing the opportunities to serve people in person,” said Pastor Charles Roberson. “As I thought of new creative ways to serve people, I was given a vision to serve the city versus serving the congregation. The Lord gave me the vision that entire city should be our focus and we were to become a church with no walls.”

Pastor’s Charles and Yolanda Roberson led their congregation in being “spiritual first responders”. (Photo courtesy of Pastor Roberson)

Pastor Roberson continued, “I decided that I would lead our congregation in being spiritual first responders by simply identifying hurting people and trying to meet their needs. As a result, we decided that we would combine our resources and serve at least 1,000 families in need with groceries and gifts.”

That decision led to Blessings on the Southside, an event where the community is served by providing 1,000 grocery boxes and 1,000 free gifts or gift cards to families and children who attend, while supplies last.

“We actually have a lot of staples in the boxes that are of a lot of non-perishable food items such as pasta, canned meat, spaghetti sauce, vegetables,” Assistant Pastor Yolanda Roberson said. “We also have the Farm Truck that’s going to come and give us fresh vegetables that we’re going to be distributing as well. So, there’s a big variety and we’re excited about it.”

She continued, “We give a variety of gift cards and gifts for everyone in the family as far as the age ranges and we just make it a fun, festive exciting event. We’ve given bicycles away, we’ve given TVs away, furniture, just tons of stuff. So, it’s probably a big variety of things that we’re going to give away this year too.”

The community giveaway will take place at 425 West Montgomery Cross Road in Savannah from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. or while supplies last.  

For more information about this event, call the Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship office at 912-921-5346 or email info@kingdomlifesav.org.