PORT ALLEN - Hundreds, still struggling due to the pandemic, came out for free clothes and boxes of food on Saturday.

"This helps a lot because we all know that grocery shopping is very expensive. I was able to get jeans and some slacks for my son," Latisha Reese said.

Reese was a child care provider, who lost her home-based business seven months ago, and is finding it quite difficult to find a job.

"Parents started losing hours, so I ended up losing my job completely," Reese said.

The giveaway was put on by the community-based clinic, Hope Behavioral Health.

"We found out that a lot of homes have lost a stream of income. They've been calling us because they need help with their bills," Kalina Escort, the COO for Hope Behavioral Health said.

Escort says it will take some time before many recover financially with the pandemic still around, a year after it first hit.

She says so many came out for the giveaway, that at one point, it was too much for her workers to handle.

"We got so overwhelmed, that some of the people from other cars, were getting out helping us put stuff in cars," Escort said.

Which a large turnout, the clinic is now planning another giveaway, that they hope will take place next month, at another location.

Local businesses donated the clothing, and the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank provided the groceries.