YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The annual Hope Conference took place in downtown Youngstown Thursday.

Over 120 vendors were set up inside the Covelli Centre.

It was all to provide resources and assistance to people with challenging backgrounds.

This is the eighth year of the conference, and those involved say every year it gets bigger with more resources for people.

“From anywhere from employment to driver’s license suspensions, legal aid, so expungements, mental health, which is critical, because of the trauma that people in our community face, social services, so everything, housing,” said Guy Burney, director of the Community Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV).

There were also free professional headshots being taken for people who needed them.

The Community Initiative to Reduce Violence organized the conference in partnership with other local organizations.