Washington DC Outreach Brings Joy Amidst Tropical Storm
Not even a tropical storm could stop an army of volunteers from serving families in need at the Washington D.C. Convoy of Hope hosted at RFK Stadium.
The outreach was originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept 6th but was forced to postpone due to the torrential rain and high winds brought by the landfall of Tropical Storm Hanna earlier that morning.
Sunday was a new day as the sun rose into a blue sky and over 1,200 volunteers showed up to distribute hope, in a tangible form, to those less fortunate. The contingency of volunteers included local doctors, dentists, barbers and hairstylists, job counselors and professional photographers – all offering their services free of charge. Several employers were present at the job fair, conducting on-site interviews. Over a dozen guests gained new employment; several starting their new jobs the very next days.
Guests also enjoyed free hot dogs and hamburgers, a kids carnival and live entertainment. In addition to all of the services and fun, over 80,000lbs of free groceries were distributed, including fresh produce from nearby grocers.
Guests began arriving as early as 6:00 a.m. and the lines quickly wrapped around the 13 acre site. One guest said, “It’s like a big family reunion. We’re all having a great time.”
“On one level, we’re giving people groceries and medical services and job advice, but on the larger level, we’re offering people hope,” said Joel Schmidgall, a lead organizer from National Community Church.
On this late summer day in our nation’s capitol, thanks to the many who served, “hope” wasn’t just an idea. Like a bag of groceries, “hope” was something people could carry away with them in their hearts.
