Staff and volunteers all wearing masks and gloves awaited lines of cars snaking up and down Fairfield Avenue outside the Boys and Girls Club of Fort Wayne Thursday morning.
Lined up behind them on the sidewalk were plastic grocery bags full of necessities--Healthy Habit Packets put together for those who needed them.
The program began on Tuesday, and demand for the assistance surprised Joe Jordan, the president and CEO of the Boys and Girls Club.
“We thought we were going to give out a thousand packets. It looks like we’re going to need well beyond that. It’s just amazing, the response. We opened our doors at 10 and people were lined up at 8,” Jordan said.
The Healthy Habits Packets contain men and women’s deodorant, laundry soap, masks and toothpaste, among other items.
The project was put together by the Boys and Girls Club, Fort Wayne United, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, Save-A-Lot stores and others.
Jordan hoped to have the supplies available Thursday morning and afternoon, but ran out before the afternoon session began.
Jordan says he will work to continue to drum up donations for those who need them.
“I underestimated it, I didn’t think I’d get this type of response, so we’ve got some more work to do,” he said.
The program is scheduled to resume at 10 a.m. next Tuesday.
