DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Some grateful families are having a Thanksgiving that they thought they might not have this year, all thanks to some DeKalb County Police officers who were able to step in where they were needed most.
When the officers drove through south DeKalb County Wednesday afternoon - in a dozen police cruisers with blue lights flashing - for a moment, it looked like a major police raid was underway.
But that wasn't the case.
“Me and the kids are ecstatic,” said Malaika Kulenga, a resident of one of the neighborhoods.
Families were surprised to see officers from the South Precinct suddenly arrive and personally deliver ready-to-eat gourmet Thanksgiving dinners.
“I didn’t know they was gonna come like this!” Kulenga said in laughter.
The officers were delivering the gifts from money they raised, and from their own pockets.
“A lot of the families within South Precinct are having some challenges,” said the Commander of the south precinct, Maj. D.L. Jordan.
He would know. He grew up in these neighborhoods.
So, Jordan and his officers got names of families in need from counselors at a couple of the elementary schools in the South Precinct.
“I challenged some of my officers. Instead of the traditional, frozen turkey giveaway, a lot of the families within South Precinct are having some challenges. Many stay in extended-stay hotels. Many have no way to prepare the frozen turkey," he explained. "So, I challenged a number of my officers to come up with meals, home-cooked meals or ready-to-eat meals, hot meals."
"This is a shared responsibility, with the police, the community and schools, working together," he added. "And we’re just trying to come out here and give these families some nice meals, so they can enjoy Thanksgiving like we all do.”
Photos: DeKalb County Police donate Thanksgiving meals to families in need
The same officers also visit the schools in south DeKalb County throughout the year, volunteering, reading to students, talking with them; many of the same officers have their own families to support - on police pay.
However, they still came together and had enough to help five families, including 20 children, as a start. One of those families was Kulenga's. She said her children have never seen anything like this - until now.
“It's letting them know that police officers and we can all come together and good things can come out of that. My kids, they see that there’s good people that still care and help out," she said. "We’re very grateful.”
Jordan hopes to expand the outreach to more families.
“I’m gonna try to make this a tradition, so even when I’m gone, the officers can carry on this tradition every Thanksgiving,” Jordan said. "Something like this can’t help but to show the community that the police is out there doing more than just locking someone up, that we actually care.”
This Thanksgiving, these cops captured hearts.
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