ATLANTA — The holidays can sometimes be difficult for people who have lost loved ones, but one event in metro Atlanta is about channeling that grief into good work.
Channel 2’s Lori Wilson learned about its from its creator.
“After the loss of my sister and, more recently, my mother, grief was really getting to me,” Africa Roberson said.
Every holiday, Roberson uses her grief over losing her sister and mother as fuel to give.
“Depression was getting to me really bad. I started thinking, ‘how can I be a light to other people?’” she said.
So in 2017, Roberson started spending her holidays feeding and giving gifts to people in need. As she gave, others who were grieving joined her, volunteers on a mission to turn grief into good.
“It is the grace that God gives me,” said volunteer and Lovely Bodies spin coach Renee Tyner, who lost two adult nephews this year.
“In order to channel those emotions, I prefer to give back to the community,” she said.
That giving happens at True Worship Church and Angie’s Kitchen in the Dixie Hills community in Atlanta.
Here, the needs are great. And with each person served, grief has a positive place to go.
“This allows me to pour my light in the community, and it’s everything that my mom always taught me,” Roberson said.
She feeds about 200 people every holiday and provides toys, clothes and toiletries, too. It’s a giving event that makes the holidays feel good again.
“Giving makes me feel wonderful, actually,” Roberson said.
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