Patrol Officer Jimmy Thomas is assigned to the Cleveland Police Bureau of Community Relations, a unit committed to engaging residents throughout the city. During the course of a meet and greet at the Lutheran Men’s Shelter, Jimmy had the chance to speak with some men who expressed issues they were having that are often overlooked.
The men residing at the men’s shelter are experiencing homelessness due to a variety of issues such as unemployment, addiction, and others. They often have very little money. The men expressed how heartbreaking it is to be unable to provide gifts for their children at Christmas time, so difficult that some opt to not see their children for the holiday at all due to having no presents.
Jimmy worked with the administration within the shelter to create a Target registry so that the dads could choose a gift their own child would want for the holiday. The Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association funded this program and the gifts were purchased and taken to the shelter. A small group of officers stopped by to wrap the gifts with the men. As Jimmy put it: this wasn’t a big production. It’s just dads helping dads.
We know these men and their families had a very happy holiday thanks to police-community teamwork!