Sixteen health education and community resource organizations participated in a recent health fair sponsored by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee at the Fitzsimonds club, 3400 W. North Ave.

“We hope to build a support system (for) the people,” said Marshall Trudo, who works for the Boys and Girls Clubs and organized the event. “We hope that people learn they are not alone and always have a place to go to, no matter what their need is.”

More than 90 people attended the health fair. Among them were Shelley Smith and her school-age daughter Kaiya Smith, who both said they found the health fair useful. “It informs the neighborhood about things that are in the community that they might not know about,” said Shelley.

Michelle Watts of Neighborhood House echoed that sentiment. “Fairs like this help the community to know what’s available. It’s a lot of resources for people that may not normally have access to resources.”

Organizations represented at the health fair included the Black Health Coalition, New Concept Self Development Center, Ripple Effect Milwaukee and World of Hope Ministries.

Information on healthy eating, the Affordable Care Act, and sexual and reproductive health was available. There was also a station offering free blood pressure screenings.

Dorian James, a respiratory therapist for Pulmedix asthma clinic, was at the health fair to educate attendees about managing the respiratory illness. Pulmedix works with lower income communities on education and management of asthma. “The populations that are hit the hardest are low income and minority populations,” James said.

James emphasized the importance of events such as health fairs. “Bringing health education and information is always essential. People who come to these events get information that they normally wouldn’t get from other health care resources,” James said.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee will host more resource fairs in the future.

“This is just the first of a series of four to five events I’ll be doing,” Trudo said, adding that the next event will feature resources for teens with a focus on employment. The date and location have not been determined.

The free health fair was sponsored by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Safe and Sound, and the Ralph H. Metcalfe School.