York Regional Police spread holiday cheer with Holiday Heroes campaign
York Regional police are teaming up with the victim services of York Region to give back to victims and their families over the holidays.
This week marked the second week of the police service's Holiday Heroes campaign, which sees police collect big box items and deliver them to families in need.
"It's overwhelming for families because they think we're going to hand them a couple gift bags," said Deb Phillips, volunteer manager for Victim Services of York Region. "We had a lady the other day say she was in tears. She said she had no idea her car would be packed. Everybody is so generous."
In addition to the campaign's sponsor of the Salvation Army, it incorporates victim services to specifically give victims of crime a needed boost through the region.
"These are people who've obviously been through so much already," said Carey Rutledge, Special events coordinator for York Regional Police Service. "So they get a one-time sponsorship to give them a hand up, to give them a better opportunity and to get them off their feet."
York Regional Police Deputy Chief Alvaro Almeida said the idea behind giving back to victims, in particular, is about building community relationships.
"Because our officers are not in uniform, that really is just to not add any more trauma to the families," he said. "In terms of us, it's important we make those good knocks [on doors] and see their expressions on their faces."
Campaign organizers said they're still looking to have more families sponsored before the holiday campaign wraps up.
The Holiday Heroes campaign helps roughly 3,000 families in York Region annually.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.