Police turn to community for help putting kids in socks, shoes

Chula Vista police, with the help of the community, have in previous years purchased shoes and socks for families throughout the city.

As a school resource officer Natalie Caceres spends most of her days on school grounds where she interacts with children in the Chula Vista Elementary School District on a daily basis.

Throughout her years patrolling hallways and playgrounds one thing always stood out to her — that not all children come from a family that can afford new shoes for school.

“We, for the most part, are always inside the schools and we can sometimes tell which kids are in need or are in need more than others,” she said.

Caceres is spearheading the Chula Vista Police Department’s eighth annual School Resource Officer Non-Profit Shoes and Socks Give-Away.

The program raises funds to purchase brand new shoes and socks for students in the Chula Vista Elementary School District.

Once funding is received, the school district identifies needy children and their immediate family to be recipients of new shoes and socks.

Selected children and their immediate family will be invited to the Payless Shoe Source, 555 Broadway in Chula Vista, at 8 a.m. on Sept. 22.

Caceres said the amount of money raised dictates whether or not she can include the entire family receiving shoes and socks.

Caceres said the program is made possible solely because of monetary donations. As of Aug. 28, Caceres said the program has raised just under $5,000.

She said she needs about $12,500 to reach her goal of giving shoes and socks to 500 children, up from the 384 kids last year.

“Each year we always try to expand the number of kids who can get shoes and socks,” she said.

Monetary donations can be sent to the Chula Vista Police Department, ATTN: Officer Caceres, SRO Unit, 315 Fourth Ave., Chula Vista, CA 91910. Checks should be made payable to Chula Vista Police Foundation, include SRO Shoe and Sock event on the memo.

Caceres said the annual shoe s and socks giveaway is the serving part of “to protect and serve.”

“We’re obviously in the business of law enforcement but at the same time we are members of the community as well and we want to make sure the people in our community are taken care of,” she said. “(And as a police officer) that really is our No.1 priority and that is to take care of the citizens of our community.”