CINCINNATI — On Tuesday, Cincinnati Police footed the bill for 100 local kids and their families to fill up carts with $100 worth of groceries, gifts and anything else they needed from the Kroger in Oakley.
The event, "Get the Groceries," has been going on for years and provides families with the opportunity to shop for meals and items they may otherwise not have been able to afford.
It's also an opportunity for officers to shop alongside families and change community perceptions of law enforcement.
"That's important. The children recognize that we're mothers and fathers, we're brothers and sisters," said Sgt. Stewart Isaacs, with District 5. "We're people of the community and we want to work with them and get them to know us."
Kids like young Savannah — shopping for things all seven of her siblings can enjoy — filled their carts with everything from toys to fresh vegetables during the shopping spree.
"I like helping people because helping people makes me happy," said Savannah.
At the end of the shopping spree, the kids were greeted by Santa, who gave them toys to put under their tree.
"The holidays are usually a tough time," said Isaacs. "A lot of kids get fed at school and those two weeks that they are out, then a lot of them go without something to eat. You can imagine how negative of an impact that is, so we've identified that and tried to address it at least this week during the holidays."
