Our Compassionate Acts Program provides police officers with resources so that they may assist people in need.
Police partners in active standing can reach out to us 24/7 to request support with emergency items.
Resources may include items such as toiletries, cleaning supplies, clothing, baby formula, diapers, car seats, bedding, coats, blankets, and more. It also includes support to cover other vital assistance, such as hotel stays when shelter is otherwise unavailable. We do not cover long term needs, such as rent assistance, housing improvements, or utility bills.
Resources are determined by the officer and/or agency responding to a need. As police officers encounter needs, they are invited to reach out to Serve & Connect to request support to assist with purchasing supplies.
The Serve & Connect team works with agencies to fulfill needs so that they may provide immediate support to individuals and/or families in need. We will also do our best to connect them with available local resources that may provide sustainable support.
Presently, our Compassionate Acts Program is available to any of our police partner agencies in active standing in South Carolina. A partner agency is defined as a department that has completed our onboarding process and is actively participating in ongoing programming with our organization.
To learn more or to request support, please contact:
CAP@serveandconnect.org / 803-767-1164
City of Columbia’s Code Enforcement, Ian O’Connor.
While out on a call, Officer O’Connor found an 82 year old man pushing a shopping cart as a walker. Officer O’Connor stopped to ask if he needed food, and gave him a Greg’s Groceries box. Officer O’Connor then reached out to Serve & Connect and through our Compassionate Acts Program and we were able to get the man a walker so he wouldn’t need to use a cart.
West Columbia Police Department reached out requesting assistance with a victim of domestic violence, a young female, and her 10-month-old child. They fled an abusive situation and left with only a diaper bag. WCPD had been attempting to contact local shelters for housing but they have been unable to find placement yet. After weighing all the options, we placed the victim and her child in a hotel for 3 nights to get them through the weekend. Through the Compassionate Acts Program, we also provided WCPD with baby formula, diaper, wipes, baby food and food for the mother.
Richland County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call for a drive-by shooting. A bullet struck an individual in the house and he was in the hospital recovering from surgery. Once RCSD started investigating, they had tips that the suspects were going to return to the house. We placed the victim in a hotel to give RCSD additional time to investigate, get warrants and get all suspects arrested. By placing the victim in a hotel we were able to help RCSD keep him safe and give him breathing room.