Des Moines community activist, pastor Rob Johnson to appear on The Kelly Clarkson Show

The Des Moines man who spent his last two birthdays giving away free gas to hundreds of Iowans has grabbed the attention of a popular daytime TV talk show host and will appear on an episode airing later this week.

Rob Johnson, a community activist and pastor who used his birthday to launch a community-wide celebration and has now held two free gas giveaway events, will be a featured guest on Wednesday's episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show. The show airs on weekdays at 4 p.m. CST on CBS.

Johnson said he and Dwana Bradley, whose local nonprofit, Des Moines Urban Experience, hosted the event along with local convenience store chain Kum & Go, will be talking to singer-turned-TV host Kelly Clarkson. Bradley's nonprofit, which promotes Black culture, has led the Iowa Juneteenth celebration and collaborated with various organizations to support families during the holidays.

"I'm honestly just grateful," Johnson said. "It just continues to bring me a feeling of gratefulness."

Bradley told the Des Moines Register that Clarkson interviewed her and Johnson virtually and used a space in the Kum & Go headquarters as a backdrop.

Last month, on Jan. 21, Johnson welcomed his 35th birthday at a local Kum & Go, standing in the cold with a group of volunteers and pumping roughly $20,000 worth of gas into hundreds of vehicles. He had spent weeks gearing up for his birthday by calling on his friends and other leaders to help him raise $15,000. Johnson said he set the bar high this year, trying to outdo last year's $5,000 donation.

Johnson and Bradley said they raised $15,000 but ended up surpassing it. On the day of the event, a donor showed up at the Kum & Go at 1300 Keosauqua Way in Des Moines, where this year's giveaway was held, with an additional $5,000, Johnson recalled. That brought the total to a whopping $20,000, helping around 500 families fill up their tanks.

Johnson and Bradley are already planning for next year's bash, which they say will be much bigger. Come Jan. 21, 2024, Johnson said he hopes to raise $40,000 — and maybe exceed it.

So, mark those calendars: "You may not know the location or anything like that, but there will be a gas event," he said.

F. Amanda Tugade covers social justice issues for the Des Moines Register. Email her at ftugade@dmreg.com or follow her on Twitter @writefelissa.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines community activist to appear on The Kelly Clarkson Show