Jaelin Ornelas

Volunteers Nicholas Dima and Keziah Selby hold signs in front of the Martin Center horseshoe, urging oncoming cars to stop for free groceries.

On March 8, Hope 4 Kids hosted its inaugural Spring Health Fair on the TxWes campus.  

The 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. event offered free groceries to students and the local community. Various organizations provided valuable information promoting health and well-being. Free haircuts, blood pressure testing, STD testing and cancer screenings were also available.  

Bags filled with fruits and vegetables were packed and distributed to over 200 families by Hope 4 Kids and Texas Wesleyan volunteers. Rose Brazil, founder of Hope 4 Kids, addressed the importance of providing difficult to access essential items, and how she frequently receives calls from community members seeking resources, never turning anyone in need away. 

“I started doing this because I was raising a family of 12 with my parents so I know what it’s like to need and not have,” said Brazil. “So, when these people come out here, I never ask about their income. If you come, I feel like you need it.” 

Volunteers stayed busy as the line of cars seemed endless, especially during the rush from noon to 3 p.m. Keziah Selby, the second-youngest board member for Hope 4 Kids, played a key role in ensuring everything proceeded smoothly and that volunteers were positioned where they were needed most.

“I love connecting with the people and being with my community,” Selby said. “I think it is very important for people to have health care and free food because I know what it is like to stretch food and resources out until I got paid.”  

A number of tables were set up in the Martin Center, each featuring information from different programs. One program, Voices Without Violence Education Program, aimed to educate both youth and the community about the impact of gun violence. Cedrick Lacey, a volunteer for the program and Texas Wesleyan alumnus, stressed the importance of teaching kids about the real-life consequences of guns. 

“Most gun violence starts because people do not know what guns can do,” Lacey said. “If we can give a good scenario and a good reason why you need to learn about this, it can probably slow down some of this gun violence and eventually stop it.”  

Hope 4 Kids is a nonprofit organization that aims to support vulnerable families and children in Southeast Fort Worth. The organization has a food drive, open to anyone in need, the 1st Saturday of every month at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.