HOPE 2012 Event Planned to Help Veterans, Homeless, Others in Need

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Organizers of HOPE 2012 will provide medical services, food and other assistance to as many as 500veterans, the homeless and other members of the Fayetteville community who are in need.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at the Central United Methodist Church on Dickson St. in Fayetteville.

7hills Homeless Center in Fayetteville is collecting food donations in connection with this event. Anyone interested in contributing is asked to bring a reusable canvas grocery bag and such non-perishable food items as macaroni and cheese, breakfast bars, Ramen noodles and canned ravioli to the 7hills Community Office at 211 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville.

The food items will be distributed at the HOPE 2012 event, along with a hot meal being provided as part of the Community Meals program at Central United.

HOPE 2012 is a cooperative effort of 7hills Homeless Center, The United Way, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Central United Methodist Church and the Community and Family Institute at the University of Arkansas.

The purpose of HOPE 2012 goes beyond feeding the hungry, according to Kevin Fitzpatrick, one of the organizers of HOPE 2012.

“This event is also about doing medical outreach,” said Fitzpatrick, who holds the Jones Chair in Community in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas. “This event gives people a chance to have their eyes examined, their teeth and gums examined, they get to meet with a primary care doctor, get a flu shot, spend time with a podiatrist, have all their vitals, Body Mass Index and blood glucose checked. For some people, this may be their only opportunity to have any of these things done this year. For many, it will be the first time they’ve seen an eye doctor or a podiatrist.”

In addition to the doctors and dentists volunteering to provide exams, other volunteers will offer their skills, providing free haircuts, veterans services and legal advice.

Last year’s event served more than 400 people and  coordinators expect to serve considerable more at this year’s event, which coincides with the “One Book, One Community” project in Northwest Arkansas and at the University of Arkansas. This year those taking part in the project are reading David K. Shipler’s The Working Poor: Invisible in America and discussing themes and issues raised by the book.