ST. LOUIS — A South St. Louis woman raised by compassionate parents has adopted the trait and transformed lives.
Rosetta Jackson, founder of ARJ Community Outreach, leads a dedicated team of volunteers in a monthly ritual: a food giveaway that not only fills bellies but warms hearts.
"We provide dairy, veggies, some type of snack, and some meat," Rosetta said, embodying the spirit of generosity that drives her mission.
Jackson's parents were known in the community for their generosity even with six children of their own. After Rosetta became of wife and mother of five children her family experienced a hardship that led her to depend on other's generosity.
"I remember going to different back-to-school events trying to get the supplies. ... You might walk away with 1 pencil and a notebook," she said. " That's when the ARJ formed and we started our back-to-school event."
Nearly a decade ago, the 501 3(c) Rosetta launched was named ARJ Community Outreach as a tribute to her father, Arthur R. Johnson, the beloved pastor of Last Days Apostolic Church. His legacy of nourishing bodies and souls lives on through the organization's work.
According to Arthur's wife Pastor May E. Johnson, he was always a giver. He was always willing to step up to the plate. She even said the community began to identify his car and know that when it stopped something would be given away.
"When you give with the right heart and the right spirit. You will never go lacking. I cannot ever say we have gone lacking," May said.
Despite not being wealthy and raising five children of her own, Rosetta and her husband turn every challenge into an opportunity for giving. Through sponsorships and creative fundraisers, they transform limited resources into boundless possibilities.
But Rosetta doesn't stop at food. At DRIP Community Coffee House, owned by her cousin, ARJ Community Outreach gathers household essentials like diapers, soap, and detergent for those in need.
"It's one thing to have to get up and you go to work every day and you pay the bills and you still don't have enough. That hurts," Rosetta said reflecting on the struggles faced by many in the community. "We are known for the amount of things that we give out. ... We just give an abundance because I know that it sucks to go to three or four different events to try to get the things that you need for your children."
Local resident Lisa Brown said, "Everybody needs help and everything costs so much now. So whatever somebody could give you to help you out, that's a total blessing."
Through ARJ Community Outreach the echoes of a father's legacy continue to reverberate through the streets of St. Louis, reminding us that the greatest riches in life are the ones we give away.
May said, Rosetta's "heart is bigger than life. She'll go, go, go, go be tired and still have to go and do things and she'll get up and do it."
ARJ Community Outreach volunteer Dawn Moore-Lockett said to those who can donate "We need you," and to those who are in need "You need to come see us and we are going to be there for you."
Rosetta's plans for the future of ARJ Community Outreach are to create a family center, actually employ families, and find different partners to service families.
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