CUMMING — North Lanier Baptist Church wants to give help — and hope — to those in need this week.

From Thursday through Saturday, the church at 829 Atlanta Highway will offer several practical needs, including car care, haircuts, a coat closet and health services, during its annual Three Days of Hope.

“[The event] is a ministry outreach to people in Forsyth County, particularly people that need the help, like the elderly,” said Lynne Byers, ministry coordinator. “There are also a lot of single-family households, low-income, even homeless people. We are offering just a variety of free services.”

Among the health services are visions screenings and medical checkups for cholesterol and glucose, blood pressure, medical weight, body mass index and osteoporosis, which will use a low level X-ray. There is also a dental clinic, though registration for it has closed.

“All of our services, except for the car maintenance, will be on the campus of our church,” Byers said. “We’re going to pull the dental bus right up to the church parking lot … The car care, oil changes and so forth, you’ll come into the church and register and get a voucher.”

According to Byers, the event’s roots came from an adult Bible study group that first wanted to help the homeless in Atlanta.

“We started out going to downtown … and taking food and clothing and so forth and going down to the homeless,” she said. “[Then] we realized that there were people who needed help here in our own backyard, in our own community.”

For more information, visit http://www.3daysofhope.us/.