By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
Police and community groups Thursday kicked off their annual “Kids, Cops and Classrooms” program, in which 12,000 Rhode Island youngsters will receive backpacks filled with toys and school supplies.
“Our goal at Kids, Cops and Classrooms is to help relieve the burden parents experience when they prepare to send their children back to school,” said State Police Superintendent Colonel Steven O’Donnell, as he and other law enforcement and community leaders launched the program at the Community College of Rhode Island campus in Providence.
“We want the students who benefit from the program to interact in a positive way with law enforcement. That’s why we go to the agencies when we’re distributing school supplies,” O’Donnell said.
“We start getting calls in early August, ‘is it going to happen again? Is it going to happen? That has to do with hope,” said Kobi Dennis, Director of Night Vision and United Solutions, programs that help inner-city youngsters in Providence.
The Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association donated $1,000, while a number of companies in Rhode Island were credited with contributing school supplies and services, including Ocean State job Lot, Benny’s Home and Auto, Samsonite, Walgreen’s Pharmacy and Hasbro.
Community agencies that distribute the school supplies and toys include: Crossroads Rhode Island, Family Service of Rhode Island, A Children’s Friend, Project Night Vision, the Center for Southeast Asians, Multi Service Center for All, Mt. Hope Neighborhood Association, African Alliance, Chad Brown Alumni Association, It’s on Us, and the Hispanic Ministerial Alliance.
