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Convoy to Bring District Residents Hope with Free Services, Groceries

On Saturday, a church-based organization estimates to give about 10,000 local residents free medical care, groceries, and haircuts amid a national economic slowdown.

“It’s tough economic times, so we just want to help the people,” Gary Officer said. “We hope the event is something that people need.”

The National Community Church has gathered over 50 churches and vendors in the past six months to put on the first Convoy of Hope outreach in the area. It will be in the Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in east Washington at 10 a.m. The event will last until all supplies are gone.

The Convoy will provide over 80,000 pounds of non-perishable food for the event. Officer, an event organizer and member of the organizing church, said on Thursday volunteers set up stations for the services, as well as entertainment and eating booths and a Kid Zone.

Officer said in January his fellow National Community Church members chose to partner with the Convoy, before the economic slowdown. Nonetheless, Officer said, the event date is at a needed time.

The Convoy is a national non-profit organization that aims to cross denominational and racial lines in the communities throughout the world. Officer said his church is predominantly white, and the most-active collaborating church – Nineteenth Street Baptist Church – is predominantly black.

“It’s been amazing to see these two churches working together to pull everything together for the event,” he said. “We just all want to help.”

Directions and more information about the volunteering or attending the event are at www.convoydc.org.