Today I will be finishing off my series of posts on Convoy of Hope.
So often we think of “missions work” having to take place in another country. While Convoy of Hope works around the world, they also work right here in our own country.
Convoy Of Hope Reaches Out To Local Families
(Springfield, MO) — Some locals got extra help feeding their families Saturday. Convoy of Hope set up five outreach programs across Springfield. Needy families in the area turned out for free groceries, haircuts and other kinds of help.
Lynne Click went to the event near Reed Middle School in Springfield. She says her family has run on hard times. Click says even things many people take for granted, such as food and shampoo, will help her support her family.
“We feel very lucky that there is something out here that we can get help from,” said Click.
She and her husband are raising two teenage grandchildren. She says they are getting by on food stamps and help from family.
They are waiting on her husband’s disability check. And as they wait, Click fears the family will lose the house she’s lived in for more than 20 years.
Convoy of Hope worked with Springfield Public Schools to find parts of the community that needed the most help.
Volunteers helped families cover the essentials. Attendees lined up for a free meal, haircuts and a health fair.
The Senior Director of Communication and Technology for Convoy of Hope in Springfield, Jeff Nene, says the event also highlighted poverty in the Springfield area.
“I think the need in Springfield is more prevalent than what we realize sometimes,” said Nene. “For a lot of folks, you know, we exist in our own little world and we sometimes tend to not see what’s going on around us.”
The outreach was part of Make-A-Difference Day. The Springfield-Greene County Park Board let Convoy of Hope use some of its land for the event. Organizers prepared for about 10,000 people to attend. However, a spokesperson says he doesn’t think that many people actually showed up.
The group usually focuses more nationally and internationally. Saturday’s event was similar to outreach programs the group holds across the country. However, Convoy of Hope usually provides some sort of aid in Springfield every year. Last year the group donated food to area non-profits.
