KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
Thousands of people down on their luck turned out in droves Saturday for free services offered by the Convoy of Hope.
About 5,000 people showed up last year for the services and the number was estimated to about double this year.
Despite slight improvements in the economy, many people are still having a hard time making ends meet and some are still without jobs.
Unemployment and hardships are what Convoy of Hope addressed Saturday. Tents were set up in Swope Park where volunteers were out and about, assisting with everything from food distribution, haircuts, and job referral services.
About 1,500 volunteers showed up Friday night at a local church, wanting to take part in the outreach.
"It's about the whole city coming together. It's about our church in Smithville, MO, coming together with churches from all across the city and serving one specific group of people in this zip code and it has been a great experience all three years," volunteer Ron Peterson said.
Convoy of Hope is on a national tour across the country, staging similar outreach in other areas. The event got under way at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Copyright 2012 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
