Little Rock Police are giving away summer meals this week

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas – Little Rock Police are doing their part to help families during the summer by handing out free meals this week.

The food is provided by Feed First as part of their mentoring program for children in the city.

Officer Takeisha Gilbert said LRPD security forces are moving their work outside the classroom and into the community.

“Many children don’t have much food at home, so sometimes the only place they get food is at school,” Gilbert said. “When school is out, that source disappears,” Gilbert said.

LRPD’s outreach programs GEMS – Empowering Girls Through Mentoring Sisterhood – and SOS – Saving Our Sons – are distributing meals to families in central Arkansas this week.

Gilbert said this is a way to ease a financial burden on some families.

“This allows us to at least compensate for that,” Gilbert said.

They’re doing this all week at the Black Police Officers Association office at 2521 Arch Street, this week serving breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Gilbert said they have provided 100 meals for breakfast and lunch and are also there during the summer months for the children they see every day.

“They see us more as mentors and not necessarily as police officers, but we are here to protect and serve the community,” Gilbert said.