South Atlantic Shares “Blessing Bags” on Super Bowl Sunday

Joshua Nelson, D.Min.

Hundreds of bags were distributed in downtown Atlanta, Ga., to unhoused persons.

Joshua Nelson, D.Min. (center), South Atlantic community services director, along with Darryl Howard, children’s ministries director, and John Newlove (far right), youth ministries director, are joined by others to assist in passing out the bags.

Hundreds of bags were distributed in downtown Atlanta, Ga., to unhoused persons.

Joshua Nelson, D.Min. (center), South Atlantic community services director, along with Darryl Howard, children’s ministries director, and John Newlove (far right), youth ministries director, are joined by others to assist in passing out the bags.

Hundreds of bags were distributed in downtown Atlanta, Ga., to unhoused persons.

Joshua Nelson, D.Min. (center), South Atlantic community services director, along with Darryl Howard, children’s ministries director, and John Newlove (far right), youth ministries director, are joined by others to assist in passing out the bags.

On Super Bowl Sunday, February 11, 2024, the South Atlantic Conference Children’s Ministries, Youth Ministries, and Community Service departments united to bring “Blessing Bags and Snack Packs” to the unhoused population in downtown Atlanta, Ga.

The metro Atlanta churches’ Community Service departments united and donated items to fill the Blessing Bags. The South Atlantic Conference office staff packed all the bags, which included toiletries, hygiene products, water, fresh fruit, snacks, and a few dollars.

A small caravan led by South Atlantic Conference’s Adventist Community Services van strategically distributed hundreds of bags to the community. After interacting with the persons who received the gifts, it was clear that the team left an impact. The people were extremely grateful, encouraged the team to come back, shared with the team some of their additional needs. Three local news stations later aired the story on the evening news. The metro Atlanta churches that participated were Ebenezer, New Jerusalem, Berean, Tri-City, Newnan First, West End, Shiloh, Mountainside, First Lithonia, Maranatha, West End, Decatur, Maranatha, Mt. Olive, and New Hope.

South Atlantic | April 2024