Our country has been battling homelessness for decades. It is something that became more prevalent when the pandemic hit.
According to the End Homelessness Organization, more than half a million Americans (580,466 to be exact) experienced homelessness in 2020. Around 70% of them were individuals, while the remaining percentage were those who lived with their families.
While most of them live in temporary shelters, only a few exist. Almost half of the homeless population live unsheltered on sidewalks, parks, subways, and inside their vehicles.
The state of homelessness in the country could be alarming, especially for those who have children along with them. These kids are deprived of their basic needs, health care, and even leisure and play.
Thankfully, there are good Samaritans out there who are always willing to lend a hand.
Their van is their home
Shannon Loveless and her family have lived in their van for four months and have lived off food banks to get by for the day. They parked their van at a local Walmart branch in Sacramento, hoping that they could stay there unnoticed or unharmed.
In their situation, they are often wary of police officers passing by the area, fearing that they would be sent away. Shannon started feeling anxious and extra cautious when she noticed two deputy officers walking in their direction.
Their duty to the community
Deputy police officers Johnny Le and Tim Yee have been patrolling the area where homeless families usually camp to ensure peace and order. With their duty, they witnessed the lives of these families, which ached their hearts a bit.
That’s why they decided to do something when they saw the Loveless family’s unfortunate situation and thought they could do something about it. A little good may go a long way for a family in need.
“I kinda choked a little bit just to see the kids hungry and dirty… it touched me,” Officer Johnny Le said in an interview.
A blessing of a good home
The kind officers returned and brought food for the family so they won’t have to worry too much about their meals. They also brought toys for the kids. But the family was not prepared for what was about to come.
Little did they know that Officers Le and Yee contacted the social services to help them find a permanent place to live. In the meantime, the cops got the family into a motel to keep them safe and warm.
Another side of law enforcement
What Officers Le and Yee did for Shannon and her family was something that law enforcement usually does to reduce homelessness in the country. They recognize that this could lead to further crimes and theft, so they step in and make sure it won’t come to that point.
The police department can find temporary shelters for the homeless in the hopes that they could start from there and get their bearings to start anew. This is one side of law enforcement that people don’t often see.
With the negative image and issues surrounding police and violence, stories like this make us realize that other police officers are different from that.
“We only see the negative side of police officers. To see this side of them is really awesome,” Shannon said.
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