Ministers from more than 20 local congregations gathered Tuesday to announce they’ve had enough of Savannah’s street violence.
On Saturday evening, they plan to hit Savannah’s east side with more than 250 men from their congregations in an attempt to talk to young people and spread the word that the community cares about its residents.
“We all know that lately ... we’ve had a lot of problems with crime, lots of shootings, lots of other senseless acts of violence,” said the Rev. Charles Roberson, standing with clergy members Tuesday afternoon at Temple of Glory Community Church on Stiles Avenue.
The ministers are calling their push against street violence “We Must Do Something.” From 7-10 p.m. Saturday, they’ll walk with members of their congregations through east Savannah neighborhoods, starting at East 37th Street and Waters Avenue. The goal, Roberson said, is to give residents information on community support resources. Specifically, they’re targeting men ages 18-25 in high crime areas.
“Saturday night is sometimes a rough night in town, so we thought it was the best night for us to go out and talk to young people,” said Roberson, who is both the pastor at Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship and the coordinator of the Savannah-Chatham police department’s volunteer chaplain corps.
Bishop Matthew Odum, pastor at Temple of Glory, said organizers pulled the ministers together with just a few weeks of planning.
“We must do something,” Odum said. “It’s gotten to the place where we can’t stand idly by.”
There have been about 160 shootings in the Savannah-Chatham police department’s jurisdiction this year. There have been close to 25 homicides. There have been nearly 40 rapes.
Most of the violent crime has affected the city’s predominantly African-American neighborhoods, especially in areas with socioeconomic challenges.
“It’s not just a black problem,” Odum said. “It’s a Savannah problem, and we’re all citizens of Savannah.”
Odum said he hopes churches of various creeds join the effort, adding that Tuesday was “the first time in a long time” so many ministers had come together to fight against violence.
Not everybody who attended the event Tuesday though the effort would be successful.
Craig Carter said the idea of clergy members going out to the streets to talk to kids is “like mixing oil and vinegar.”
“Folks need employment,” Carter said.
An academic coach, Carter said he thought there needed to be more education outreach, too, and more community policing.
“They don’t have the answers,” Carter said of the group of ministers. “The answers lie among the young people.”
Roberson, though, said the effort was unique and that he thought it would provide hope to people who have none. It’s not a one-time thing, either, he said.
“The community we’re going to is a beautiful community, but like any beautiful community, it has its problems,” Roberson said.
The ministers said they wanted to make it clear that the event was not political.
“We just want to go love on people,” Odum said.