By Pat Doody
staff writer
CityServe introduced to Tehachapi Rotary
Rotary Club of Tehachapi
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Robin Robinson.
On December 10, the Tehachapi Rotary Club welcomed Robin Robinson of CityServe. After 31 years as a pastor at Canyon Hills Church in Bakersfield, Robinson moved into a new role in the Bakersfield community with CityServe. This nonprofit has been coming together for the last two years to serve Kern County's hungry, windowed, orphaned, poor, addicted, vulnerable, exploited and unreached.
CityServe is a non-denominational faith-based organization that has created international and national partnerships in order to bring a supply chain into Kern County to serve those in need. CityServe partners send like-new returned merchandise or overproduction goods like food and household items from such partners as Amazon to small churches helping them to minister to their neighborhoods and communities.
The organization currently works with about 120 churches in Kern County including in Tehachapi. They have taken over the old Montgomery Ward building in downtown Bakersfield to be used as a distribution center and offices that can be shared with other organizations. Robinson said they have been able to save and use approximately one million pounds of food that would have gone to the dump.
Others partnering with CityServe are Kern Public Health, Adventist Health, Kern County Fire and the Kern County Board of Supervisors. They also take referrals for and work with the Department of Human Services, Kern Adult Program, Bakersfield City School District and M Street Navigation Center. Through an education collaborative with Bakersfield Adult School and Bakersfield College they assist with certification classes and employer's training. With 56 truckloads of provisions, they recently helped distribute Farmers2Families Food Boxes throughout Kern County and Tehachapi.
"Bakersfield is a perfect place to start CityServe because everyone is so generous," said Robinson.
For more information about CityServe, check their website at http://www.CityServeBakersfield.com. The Rotary Club of Tehachapi is a volunteer service organization with the motto "Service Above Self." The club has 30 members and are currently meeting virtually on Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m. If you would like more information about Rotary Club, you can visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/RotaryClubofTehachapi/ or contact local club President Chris Naftel at (661) 221-2137.
