LEHMAN TWP. — Penn State Wilkes-Barre’s “Winter Care Package” is reaching out to more families and more law enforcement agencies this holiday season, said Matthew Caines, the president of the Students For Justice Club.
Last December, the Students For Justice at Penn State Wilkes-Barre in Lehman Township rolled out a program that included volunteers from area police departments who delivered packages of non-perishable food items, toys and fruit to 22 homes of recovering drug addicts, Caines, of Olyphant said.
“This year, we already have 25 families registered, and we expect more (families) to sign-up,” the 21-year-old said.
The program is also attracting the interest of more local police departments, said Rick Dierenfeldt, an assistant professor of Administration of Justice and the faculty adviser for the club.
“Last year we had 12 law enforcement agencies volunteer,” Dierenfeldt said. “This year, we have over 18.”
Police departments from Kingston, Wilkes-Barre, Sugar Notch, Glen Lyon, Plymouth, Plains Township, Courtdale, Pittston, Mountain Top, Lansford, Warrior Run, Duryea, Swoyersville, Kingston Township, Nanticoke, Hanover Township, Hazel Township, Larksville and the Pennsylvania State Police volunteered to assist with deliveries.
The increased interest from area law enforcement agencies reflects the purpose of the “Winter Care Package” program, which is to build relationships between residents, who may have had a visit by police officers for a drug-related issue, and their police department, Caines said.
“Many times these police visits are not positive,” Dierenfeldt said. “For many of the children (in the homes), their first experience with a police officer is negative.”
Wilkes-Barre City Commander of the Patrol Division Ron Foy said the “Winter Care Package” program gives officers an opportunity to revisit a home for a positive reason.
“We are going back to a home for a reason that could shine a better light on officers,” Foy said. “All these homes have children – we could change their attitude about police officers for life.”
Jesse Ragugini, Katelynn Loscig and Katie George, all Students For Justice members who helped officers deliver packages last year, described a similar scene at the homes they visited.
“The families were very happy to see the police officers,” Loscig said.
Ragugini and George observed the children’s faces light up when they saw the police officers with toys and food.
“We see so much of the bad stuff all the time that it is good for our folks (police officers) to see the good stuff too,” Foy said.
This year, club members hope to recreate that positive experience.
Ragugini, who worked at and continued to volunteer at a local methadone clinic, is getting the word out to families and encouraging them to sign up.
Meanwhile, club members on campus are actively fundraising to meet the needs of the increased enrollment.
“We sold Krispy Kreme doughnuts,” Caines said, adding the fundraiser will allow the students to include fruit in this year’s offering.
The campus community donated a variety of non-perishable items and toys at collection points throughout Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Caines said.
Club members are also working with the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce to set up some donation drop off points in Wilkes-Barre, Caines said.
“As of right now, there are no boxes set up in Wilkes-Barre, but the Chamber of Commerce did agree to have boxes for people downtown,” Caines said.
Donations will be accepted until Dec. 11, he said.
Monetary donations can be mailed to Rachel Olszewski, c/o Penn State Wilkes-Barre, PO Box PSU, Lehman, PA 18627. Checks should be made payable to Penn State Wilkes-Barre SGA.
The Students For Justice will organize and dispatch the distribution from the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department on Dec. 15.
Commander Foy hopes the “Winter Care Package” program will become an annual event with the students passing it down to classmates.
“There are people that need that extra help during the holidays,” Foy said. “These students identified a gap and are working to fill it.”
