Police officers and the houseless community often have an adversarial relationship. But for one family in need, that forever shifted when two patrolling officers stepped in to give a helping hand.
When these two groups of people met on a fateful day, it changed both of their outlooks on the world, and it changed the family’s circumstances immensely.
The police officers and the family are forever changed from this experience.
Deputy Johnny Le is glad that he was able to help make a difference in the family’s life. He tells CBS Sacramento:
“It was a complete shift in my heart, and my partner’s heart, that you know, we did something very good for the family…I’m gonna call that day a miracle”
The family was camping outside of a Sacramento Walmart.
The family had been living in their van for four months. The family of 5, with 3 children, was struggling.
They would go to food banks for meals and would make lunch at their makeshift campsites. That’s where the police found them.
The officers had been in the area patrolling another homeless community.
That spot was pretty close to where the Loveless family was, so the officers stumbled upon them.
Shannon Loveless was in the middle of making lunch for her children. The sight of the children and the struggling parents was too much for the officers.
It tugged at their heartstrings and they wanted to do something to help.
After meeting the family, they decided to do what they could to help.
The first step was to help their immediate needs.
After leaving their patrol site, the officers decided that the first thing to do would be to help feed the family and brighten their day.
The officers soon returned with bags filled with groceries and toys for the children.
Their next move was to help the family get some housing that was a bit more stable and comfortable than their van.
Officers Le and Yee helped them move into a motel that they would be able to stay at until Social Services would be able to help them find permanent housing.
The Loveless family knows how lucky they were to receive this help.
Shannon Loveless contrasts her family’s experience with what other people tend to not think about by telling CBS Sacramento:
“Just for them to be able to have a warm place to sleep, watch cartoons, you know, things that kids do? You take it for granted, but um, it’s been awesome…it’s a total game changer, ya know? The motivation’s there and the morale kicked in and it’s like, alright I’m ready.”
The Loveless family now feels poised for their lives to improve.
Having stable housing and being able to live more comfortably can change a person’s life.
Not only did the kind gestures of the police officers help provide the Loveless family with a morale boost, but it also can help them make long-term moves for lasting change.
When you have to constantly worry about where you and your children will sleep at night or what you will eat, those issues often take precedence over accessing social services and finding a job that can provide for your family.
Fortunately, now the Loveless family can focus on building a strong and happy future.
Watch the heartwarming video below for the full story!
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