Homelessness is a problem the country continuously faces.
The 2020 data of the National Alliance to End Homelessness showed that there are over half a million homeless people, and 30% of that number are families with children. That means almost 200,000 families out there camping out without a comfortable place to rest.
Shannon Loveless and her family are one of those families.
The family lived in their van for four months and had been camping at the back of a local Walmart store in Sacramento. They relied on food banks to get by each day.
Then two deputy officers walked in their direction and changed their lives.
Shannon told CBS Sacramento that she was cautious of them at first. Often, they think that they’re about to get in trouble when they see the flashing blue-and-red lights from a police vehicle. Thankfully, not this time.
Deputy police officers Johnny Le and Tim Yee saw the family’s unfortunate situation.
They often station in areas where homeless families usually camp. They patrol these areas to make sure they stay out of trouble. The Loveless family caught the officers’ attention, and they could not help but lend them a hand.
“I kinda choked a little bit just to see the kids hungry and dirty… it touched me,” Officer Johnny Le said in an interview.
The cops returned and brought food for the family and toys for the kids.
They also helped the family get into a motel until social services could help them find a permanent place to live. This selfless gesture allowed Shannon and her family to have a warm and comfortable place to sleep in for a change.
What the officers were doing was a known effort on the side of law enforcement to reduce homelessness in the country.
Since homelessness can lead to further crimes and theft, the police can step in and help families get out of trouble. They can help homeless families get into transitional shelters until they’re finally ready to live on their own.
This is a positive initiative that can give homeless families a ray of hope in their situation.
In the case of Shannon, she saw this blessing from the two deputy officers as a fresh start to their year. For her, it was a game-changer, and she felt a boost of morale adding to her motivation to make things right.
Another great thing about this was how the police officers showed a different side.
“We only see the negative side of police officers. To see this side of them is really awesome,” Shannon said.
Officer Tim Yee confirmed this, saying that they know how homeless people see them in a bad light, especially when they see their police lights flashing. They went out and helped Shannon and her family to change that.
She also noted how it gave her and the kids a positive outlook. A sense of normalcy finally kicked in for the family as simple as letting her kids be kids – watching cartoons and playing with their toys.
The Loveless family felt all the love from these police officers.
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