Cartersville organization spreading love by fighting hunger across the world

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. - An organization in metro Atlanta is helping thousands of children battling hunger and illnesses across the world. Daryl Roberts started Live 2540 about 15 years ago to help those in need in Liberia and his efforts have gotten bigger and bigger. Now he's helping build a pediatric hospital.

"We serve suffering children whether they are malnourished, or they have malaria, or lots of different common illnesses, or critical illnesses," Roberts said.

He started the charity after a week-long mission trip with his wife to Liberia.

"In 2008 I took a short-term mission trip in July of that year and I saw things I've never seen before. Children living in really horrific conditions, children with very little food," he said.

He started donating to a small group of children, but those efforts grew into helping thousands address food insecurity, medical needs, and education in Liberia and beyond.

"Our primary focus is Liberia, West Africa, we also have some clinic partners that we work with in Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso. We have a large feeding program in the Philippines as well," Roberts said.

Their biggest project now is building a pediatric clinic in Liberia. It's called the Walker Phillips Critical Care and Malnutrition Ward. It's named after Walker Phillips. He was 10 years old when he died in a house fire in Cartersville in 2022. His parents, Courtney and Cory Phillips joined the efforts at Live2540. Cory Phillips is a former University of Georgia football player, and Courtney Phillips is a former University of Georgia gymnast.

"They want his life to be a catalyst for good things to happen. Walker was a very special kid. He loved people, he loved God," Roberts said.

In April, they held a fundraising event called Love Like Walker to raise $430,000 to fund the operating costs at the clinic for a year.

"Going into this event that didn't even enter our minds - that's a big number. But Cory on the other hand, he was like 'I'm pretty sure we can do this,'" he said.

They raised the money, and then some. It will help provide free medical care for more than 30,000 children suffering from malnutrition, malaria, and other pediatric illnesses.

"Literally thousands and thousands of children will benefit from that one event Thursday night, the Love Like Walker, it's a beautiful thing," he said.

Together they are saving lives and creating change across the world, starting with a little help from Cartersville.

"Collectively, just coming together and expressing love and generosity and compassion the impact can be greater and more beautiful than anything we can even imagine," he said.

If you want to learn more about Live 2540, you can visit their website.