Mixed Sistaz United 'Gas on God' giving away free gas Friday

After more than a year into the coronavirus pandemic, one local community group is deciding to give people in Sumter a little bit of help filling up their tanks Friday.

Mixed Sistaz United, a community nonprofit that brings social justice awareness to low-income communities, plans to give away free gas at the Sunoco gas station on Broad Street for its "Gas on God" event at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 9. Brittany Martin, the founder of Mixed Sistaz United, said she was inspired by Impact Church, her hometown church in Iowa, and asked for the blessing of Marshaundus Robinson, the pastor of the church, to do this program for her organization in Sumter.

Martin said they used to see more than 100 people at her hometown church, but she expects a smaller crowd of at least 40 people at Friday's event.

"We are going to start small," she said. "We'll probably do a couple more, but 40 is what I hope to see."

The first 40 people who pull up will get $25 in gas pumped and paid for by the organization, Martin said. The gas station is at 1083 Broad St. next to the Sumter Mall. Organization leaders want to do this event at least twice a year. For more information, contact Brittany Martin at (803) 236-3203.