(Storm Lake)– Police in Storm Lake are helping out the less fortunate this holiday season.
They say it started last week when an officer met with some children while they were waiting for a bus. A young boy standing with his mother caught the officer’s attention. The child told the officer he had lost a tooth, but the tooth fairy didn’t come. The bus arrived and the child and other children got on board. When the bus pulled away the officer spoke with the child’s mother and learned she had lost her job and had been experiencing post covid complications. She also had been scammed and lost a considerable amount of money. The family was short on food and likely would not be able to celebrate Christmas. The officer gave the woman $100 and a ride to the grocery store.
When the officer returned to the Police Department, he explained the situation to the staff, who put together a list and purchased Christmas gifts for the child and his mother. They wrapped them and delivered them to the child and his mother.
It led to Storm Lake police beginning their “Santa Cops” program, funded by private donations, that allowed them to purchase gifts for other less fortunate families in the community. They also handed out 36 hams to families in need.
They plan to make it an annual event.
