More than 4,200 East Texans helped at Love Thy City in Tyler

TYLER, Texas ( KETK ) – Love Thy City took over the W.T. Brookshire Conference Center on Saturday, to help out the East Texas community.

“400 volunteers from various churches, nonprofit organizations. We got 55 or more churches represented,” Marvin Methodist Church pastor and Love Thy City board of directors member Doug Baker said.

This was the first year for the event and lines were wrapped around buildings as more than 4,200 people received counseling, supplies and food vouchers.

“It’s meant a lot for my family, they have to get free backpacks and one even won a bike, so it’s awesome,” Tyler resident Sheila Johnigan said.

Everything was free for the community to get the assistance they needed.

“It is just simply showing up and signing up and registering and then allowing us to do what we want to do, which is love on the community of Tyler,” St. James CME pastor and Love Thy City board of directors member, Brian Lightener said.

Guests also enjoyed messages from local pastors as they enjoyed time with other community members. Love Thy City is already planning for next year’s event and said they hope it will be bigger and better.

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