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Light Drizzle Aiding Long Island’s struggling families
Convoy of Hope will have sites in Elmont, Hempstead on Saturday
If last year is any indication, people will be coming out in droves to attend Convoy of Hope’s community events on Saturday at three Long Island locations.
“This is our third year on Long Island, and we have three outreaches going simultaneously,” said Esmeralda Roberts, a Convoy of Hope volunteer. “We’re bringing 70,000 pounds of food to the people.”
The events will kick off at 10 a.m. at Elmont Memorial Library, Hempstead’s Kennedy Park and Robert Rowley Park, in Suffolk County. More than 118,000 people attended the events around the country last year.
Convoy of Hope is a nonprofit faith-based international humanitarian relief organization that was founded when the Donaldson family’s patriarch, Harold, was killed in a car accident in 1969. Since its inception, it has helped more than 65 million impoverished people from around the world.
“It’s not just handing out groceries, and helping people with job resumes, and giving them resources,” explained Tori Markou, event coordinator for all three sites of the events. “What we’re doing this year especially, is that we’re aiming to transform our communities one family at a time.”
Markou stressed that the events are about giving hope to struggling Long Islanders. This year, Convoy of Hope has partnered with 92 churches and more than 100 organizations, like Plum Organics, a company that specializes in organic baby food products. “What’s exciting is help isn’t coming from afar,” said Markou. “It’s the local businesses and the local churches that are standing together and saying yes, we see there are people that are struggling, we see that they are under-employed, and single families, and we want them to know that we care about them, and that help is available.”
“We want to empower the local communities that are partnering with different businesses, and churches,” said Molly Erickson, marketing and public relations coordinator at Convoy of Hope. “We want people to come in and volunteer, and provide these services to other people.”
