YOUNGSTOWN — The annual Mahoning Valley Hope Conference welcomed more than 120 agencies into the Covelli Centre on Thursday to offer a range of resources for a positive lifestyle.

Face-to-face meetings with agency representatives and people needing their services can open many doors for accomplishment, organizers said.

“We want to provide everything that we possibly can in one space, so no matter what a person needs, they have access to that particular resource,” Guy Burney, Community Initiative to Reduce Violence director and event host, said.

Some of this year’s Hope Conference assistance categories were adult support and mentoring, food and nutrition, health and wellness, health care, employment and job training, insurance, housing, recovery and sober living, re-entry, and youth services and mentoring.

John-Michael Oliver specializes in mentorship as executive director of the African American Male Wellness Agency of Youngstown. His organization does health and wellness screenings, teaches financial literacy and raises mental health awareness for men and women.

“Being born and raised here in Youngstown, it’s amazing to hear from the City of YOU,” Oliver said. “Our presence at this conference today is letting researchers and the community know that we know our numbers are closing a gap, and we are holistically working around it to be better.”

Christina Vlosich of Vlosich Insurance Agency shared information about services available to people who need help enrolling in their Medicare plans.

“What our group brings to the table is locality,” Vlosich said. “We actually service your plans and provide you community resources.”

Not only was the event for people needing assistance, it also made the possibility of agencies becoming partners a reality through immediate meetings.

The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County has unveiled its plan to begin an adult literacy program soon.

“I attended a conference last fall where we heard about literacy rates for the state of Ohio, and the percentage of adults who read below a fourth-grade level was just soul-crushing,” Cindy Beach, community partnerships manager, said. “It really struck me. And now I’m trying to make some community partnerships and use our 13 spaces throughout the county to host tutoring sessions to boost our community’s reading skills.”

Whether searching for support services or a new connection in shaping a better Youngstown, “when you look good, you feel good,” Kelan Bilal, owner of Excalibur Barber Grooming Lounge, said. For those who are just a haircut away from their preferred presentability, Bilal offered his services on-site.

Sean Dougherty, a veteran and Youngstown native, attended the event for guidance in finding jurist assistance. “The system doesn’t really do much to offer legal aid, so it’s good to see a lot of people here offering help to many who don’t have a fighting chance,” Dougherty said.

As for corrective assistance, Pamela Ramsey of the Community Corrections Association provided insight into how vital her organization is and what it offers to those who seek to get their lives on track.

“In the past year, we’ve also started addiction treatment programming available to internal and external clients. We also offer a mental health counselor. But our mission is to prepare those who come to CCA to step back into their community and be productive citizens,” Ramsey said.

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles was also set up to offer driving lessons and license reinstatement availability to event guests.

“It’s really important that our community comes together to provide information and resources so that if people want to change their lives, this is an opportunity,” Burney said about the event’s primary focus.

“This is just a pathway, but people must take advantage of it. So, we’re here, we have the resources and the people who want to help, but now it takes the community to want to come together and receive that help. If they do that, we all become better.”