Every Tuesday, a group of volunteers gathers outside the Dartmouth YMCA to distribute food to hundreds of families in need.

While that was still the case during their March 1 drive, the volunteers and attendees also took a moment to send a message of support to their group’s founder Scott Stubbs with signs of “Hope” and a banner saying, “THANK YOU SCOTT.”

Stubbs, who recently turned 64, is currently battling stage-four cancer and had to step away from leading the mutual aid group. 

“He’s really done so much,” said Lyn Dillies, his cousin-in-law and head coordinator for Dartmouth United Outreach. “This man is always thinking about others and rarely himself.”

The Dartmouth resident founded the mutual aid group during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic because of toilet paper.

Stubbs, the moderator at the Smith Mills Christian Congregational Church, said the idea came in early 2020 when he realized the church’s toilet paper stash would not be used despite nationwide shortages.

Stubbs went to neighboring Monroe Terrace to ask if any residents needed some.

“We just had all of this toilet paper and didn’t know what we were going to do with it,” he previously said.

After stopping by the elderly housing complex, Stubbs learned that many of the residents were housebound, without transportation to buy food and supplies. Since then, he has made it his mission to ensure that nobody goes hungry.

Almost immediately, he and fellow volunteers began delivering around 100 boxes and bags per week out of the Smith Mills church.

After more than a year at their Anderson Way headquarters, the group merged with the Dartmouth YMCA’s Full Plate project and now serves more than 1,000 people each week.

“And we haven’t missed one week,” Dillies noted.

As Stubbs continues his battle with cancer, Dillies said she and her fellow volunteers felt it would be nice to send their founder a message to show just how much his trip for toilet paper has helped so many people.

“He’s really done so much and he deserves to know,” Dillies said.

Those waiting in line at the Dartmouth Y were also able to write Stubbs some words of encouragement and get-well messages.

There is also a GoFundMe his niece Gretchen Saar set up to help pay for medical expenses from Stubbs’ treatments.

“His heart is so prominent in his efforts to help others,” Saar wrote. “Despite the heartache of his illness, I've been constantly reminded of each and every STUBBS STRONG follower’s generosity, kindness and love that has been appreciated over the years.”

To donate to the GoFundMe, visit www.gofundme.com/f/9r5vc-stubbs-strong?qid=cc387fc6a7cb35d6a1f96ad868df14d5.