We’ve all had “one of those days.”  And it’s on those days when the smallest gesture of kindness can mean so much.

Assembly of 380 gift bags is no small feat! But the staff of Children’s Inn did just that for a very worthy group of people.

National Police Week was observed May 10-16 to recognize the hard work, dedication, and commitment of law enforcement officers to keep our communities safe. They often work with Children’s Inn dealing with cases involving domestic violence and child abuse.

It was during this week that Erin Amundson, Outreach Advocate at Children’s Inn, led the charge to fill 380 goodie bags with things like Gatorade, candy, gum, notebooks, and pens. These filled bags were then delivered to local law enforcement by Children’s Inn staff.

“These are individuals who put their lives on the line every day for us, going into violent and scary situations, and now responding to the community at large during COVID-19. That’s a lot of risk,” says Amy Carter, Children’s Inn Operations Director.

Sioux Falls Police Department Spokesman Sam Clemens said, “We’ve got tremendous support of the public in Sioux Falls, and it just means a lot. Just those little gestures that say they appreciate the work that we do. It ends up being a very humbling experience.” 

Story idea and pictures provided by Erin Amundson and Amy Carter.