South Bend redevelopment officials are helping police officers in their efforts to get Christmas presents for kids in families that are facing financial struggles.
In January South Bend officers were excited to announce they had found a home for their growing Santa’s Elficers program. That’s where the officers volunteer their time to collect toys and clothes donated by the community to give as Christmas gifts for kids age 14 and under whose families apply.
Last year they served over 600 kids. Having outgrown other spaces, they started leasing a former warehouse building behind the police department, and they asked the public for donations toward buying the $300,000 building.
FOP President Joshua Morgan says the Elficers, a legal nonprofit, this year has raised about half the money they need to buy the building and they plan to borrow the rest. On Thursday the city’s redevelopment commission gave them $50,000 toward the purchase.
Morgan expressed his gratitude.
”The city has reached out to us," Morgan says. "They’ve helped us, whether it’s donations or finding us a place, and this is just another thing that they’ve done to show how much they support this program.”
