Local groups who attended the Community Resource Fair at the Lafayette Hotel included information about their organization along with interactive games and activities on Sunday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

MARIETTA — The community gathered at the Lafayette Hotel event room on Sunday for an afternoon spent exploring the annual Community Resource Fair.

Hosted by the non-profit organization GoPacks, the event entered its fourth year and experienced the largest crowd ever, according to Executive Director Heather Warner.

“This is the biggest turnout yet and it’s really exciting to watch it grow every year,” said Warner.

Upon entering the hotel from Front Street, guests could browse the rows of 34 organizations that were present at the fair.

The tables of each organization included pamphlets detailing information about the organization, websites, contact information and more.

Staff with Building Bridges to Careers color pages and talk with guests at the Community Resource Fair on Sunday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

Some of the organizations included; American Red Cross, Washington State College of Ohio, Marietta City Schools, AmeriCorps, OhioMeansJobs, the Community Resource Center and more.

“We are very heavy on collaboration and we actively work with about 40 organizations throughout the year,” she said.

The event was free to the public and organizations could attend and provide their materials free as well.

Warner said that the goal is to invite as many people as possible and provide a space for the public to find out about services in the area.

This is the first year they included free children’s books as well as a children’s car seat check located in the parking lot next to the hotel.

The American Red Cross were among 34 groups present at the Community Resource Fair who helped guests with services available in the area on Sunday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

GoPacks is a non-profit with the goal of fighting food insecurity by providing fresh fruits and vegetables to anyone who participates in their programs.

“We’re really different from a lot of the groups that do this because we’re relationship based-we get to know our families-and we’re not a handout program, so anyone who enrolls in one of the three programs is part of a team and they have to participate,” said Warner.

Warner said that they focus on building a productive team and returning that participation with nutritious foods and ingredients.

Attendees received a punch card upon entering the fair and as they visit each table, they received a punch. Once the card is filled out, they can turn it in to staff and receive a free bag of fresh produce they can pick out.

The produce included corn, brussel sprouts, squash, and more. By the end of the event on Sunday, there was only one piece of produce left over.

Guests who attended the Community Resource Fair at the Lafayette Hotel pick from a wide selection of free children’s books in the lobby on Sunday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

“We help our families increase their resources, social support networks, classes, workshops, and events like this so that they’re less likely to experience food insecurity in the future,” she said.

With over 30 organizations, there were lots of options for guests to browse and learn more about Sunday.

Community Resource Center Executive Director Rick Hindman said that they work with people in any stage of life.

“We actually help them with any kind of documentation or applications they need to fill out and we will accompany them to an agency if they need help,” said Hindman.

He said the CRC started in 2019 and he has been working with GoPacks even before the CRC when he worked at Buckeye Hills Regional Council.

Guests who completed their punch cards by visiting the organizations at the Community Resource Fair could take home a free bag of produce on Sunday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

“We have different kinds of outreach, sometimes door-to-door in low income areas,” he said. “We also piggyback on things like this probably five or six times a year.”

The Washington County Public Library was also in attendance with its Bookmobile parked on Front Street.

Guests could pick from a wide selection of free children’s books that were located on tables in the lobby.

Afterwards, Warner said that the event was a huge success this year and doubled in attendance since last year.

For more information, check out gopacks4kids.org

Staff were available to help guests at the Community Resource Fair learn how to correctly adjust seatbelts and car seats on Sunday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

GoPacks Executive Director Heather Warner said that the car seat check was a success in its first year at the Community Resource Fair on Sunday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)