EVPL celebrates summer with community resource fair

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — Some people in Evansville learned what resources are available to them on Friday, thanks to the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library’s community resource fair.
Organizations gathered in Howell Park to educate and empower the community, and people even picked up some free goodies.

It’s EVPL’s job to connect people to resources. Typically those resources come in the form of books, but the library says it’s also important to create a bridge between people and the resources available outside of their four walls.

“A lot of times when people have questions, they come to the library. What we see a great need in is immediate food needs. Whether it’s ‘I need a meal right now’ or it may be ‘I need help applying for benefits’,” says Katie Reineke, EVPL’s Community Outreach Manager.

From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., Around 40 organizations set up at the Celebrate Summer Community Resource Fair.

The Vanderburgh County Health Department offered free vaccines, 4 Good Community turned a bus into a mobile closet full of free clothing, and the local food bank popped in to help as well.

Tri-state food bank is gave away two bags of goodies to each household. One bag held dry goods like granola bars, beef jerky, and bagel chips. The other contained one or more bags of apples.

“We have six kids and eight in our household, so we got quite a lot of food today. It’s nice to have a little extra,” says Maria Mull, who attended the event.

Within the span of an hour, 4 Good Community On The Go says they saw nearly two dozen families.

“We are allowing everybody to get two pairs of Bombas socks…any two pairs. They’re allowed one undergarment item, and then they go up on the bus and they’re allowed two clothing items,” says Amy Graham, the non-profit’s Volunteer Resource Center Manager.

Samantha Redferrin says the event gave her a new perspective on where she can take her future.

“I learned that I can go back to getting my high school diploma, and all I got to do is contact them. They’ll go and get my scripts, and I can start,” says Redferrin.

After all their questions were answered, families were able to spend quality time with each other and play outdoor games.

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