JOPLIN, Mo. — It can be hard to look for a job or a home when you don’t have any means of transportation. But for one day, that wasn’t the case in Joplin.

If you saw a lot of people going into Central Christian Center Thursday in Joplin, it wasn’t for the reason you might think. It was to help to introduce the homeless population to some of the programs that are available to them they might not even know they qualify for.

“It’s basically we get together a bunch of services and vendors from the area that can come in and provide opportunities for folks to get help with the different things they might need so it’s kind of, you know, vendors everyone under one roof to help folks out that don’t have transportation in a way they otherwise access those services,” said Robin Smith, Homeless Coalition Chair.

This event is held twice each year, once in the summer and once in the winter and it brings together a host of different organizations that helps provide services for the homeless.

“And it’s just such a reward to be able to come out here and work with the community and hand back the things I was handed so many years ago. I’ve been with them six years now, and it’s just been glorious,” said Greg Gimlin, Formerly Homeless, Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri

Greg Gimlin came to this very event several years ago as a homeless person, but thanks to the help of Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri and some of the programs they offer, he is now proof this event can make a difference

“You know, if a person shows some potential, and they act seem that they want to get out of their rut, or their situation, then I go over there and talk to them and explain to them what I did. You know, and that there’s always hope because if I can do it, anybody can do it, you know. So that’s really neat to show somebody hope. That’s the greatest gift, hope,” said Gimlin.