Convoy of Hope Celebrates 1,000th Community Event

Many working poor families in the United States struggle to put food on the table. Thousands of those families attended a Convoy of Hope community event in Las Vegas, Nevada, recently. 

"In this community, it's easy for people to feel disenfranchised," Tom Van Kempen, senior pastor of the Champion Center, where the community event was hosted, told local media. "This event brought the community together."

Van Kempen's church, along with many other local churches and organizations, partnered with Convoy of Hope to provide guests of honor with haircuts, family portraits, prayer, shoes, groceries, and health services — all staples of the organization's community events, which are held throughout the world.

"We thank the Champion Center and the Assemblies of God churches in the Las Vegas area for coming together to impact their community," says Hal Donaldson, president and co-founder of Convoy of Hope. "Lives were touched, people were served and families struggling during the holidays were given a much-needed hand up."

Many guests camped out the night before the event to ensure they were among the first in line. The first 1,000 guests received a Walmart gift card as part of the organization's recognition of its 1,000th community event. The first 2,000 guests also received a Thanksgiving turkey. Every guest received a traditional meal under a big top tent that included warm turkey, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, green beans and cranberries.

It's a huge blessing," said Vivian Hansen, who attended the event with her husband and four children. "We came for a turkey, but got so much more."

The Hansens were among five families who received a special surprise that included a gift basket that overflowed with stuffed animals, games and gift cards for services similar to those offered at the event. According to Vivian, she and her husband Justin both work full-time jobs to make ends meet, but sometimes it's not enough. They have four children of their own and have assumed guardianship of another child as well.

Nearly 1,700 volunteers served more than 7,000 guests, like the Hansens, at the event, which was the largest community event of the year.

Kimberly, a volunteer hairstylist, couldn't help but smile as she served guest after guest. "It's just nice to make people feel good," she said, as she joyfully cut the hair of an elderly guest.

"I sometimes feel like I've let my kids down," said Destiny, a single mother of four who attended the event to get shoes for her children. "But it's priceless for them to be able to have fun here today."

The support and partnership of the Assemblies of God Fellowship has helped Convoy of Hope reach more than 67 million people since it was founded in 1994. "Having the partnership of the Assemblies of God Fellowship has been instrumental," says Donaldson. "We couldn't have reached such a significant number of people without that support."

Molly Erickson