Beckley Day of Hope held at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center

BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – The Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center was host to thousands for the Beckley Day of Hope, a community-wide day of giving free food and groceries, medical screenings, and other community services, and of course, hope.

“Right now we’re bagging up groceries, about 35,000 pounds of groceries, and getting ready to open the gates in less than an hour for our guests that are going to arrive here today,” says John Jordan, Coordinator for The Beckley Day of Hope.

With 750 volunteers, this collective effort made up of local churches and civic organizations came together to unload the Convoy of Hope truck and give the whole community what was inside, along with their own helping hands.

“Convoy of Hope is an organization that does these types of events around the world, and many years ago I became aware of that organization and 10 years ago we were finally able to partner with them to bring them here, and we’ve been able to offer this event just about every year since then,” he says.

The event featured various booths set up where goods and services of all kinds were being provided for people all for free, but whether a volunteer or a visitor to the Beckley Day of Hope, hope is exactly what the day brought with it most of all.

“Today we’re going to go to the jumpy houses and look around this place,” says one child upon entering the convention center.

“I’m taking my son through and getting him some shoes and a backpack,” adds a woman at the event.

“It’s a really, really good feeling to be able to come out and help,” says a volunteer for the event.

People took home thousands of dollars worth of free goods and necessities from this Convention Center here today, but the biggest gain is the message of hope that this community effort brings with it, hope that even through our daily life struggles, there’s a community of people ready and willing to lend a hand.

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