YPD handing out gift cards for the holidays
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
It was perhaps no coincidence Thursday the sun came out downtown as city police officers Joe Moran and Shawna-Cie Ott came bearing gifts to Our Community Kitchen on Mahoning Avenue.
The two had gift cards for Bret Teri and Jeri Calliton supplied to the department by an anonymous donor to help the couple get back on their feet after they moved here from California – only to discover the house they purchased off the internet was condemned.
Calliton, an Army veteran, greeted Moran with a hug when he entered the kitchen.
“Joe shows up, and the sun comes out,” Calliton said,
Moran and Ott are members of the department’s Community Police Unit, who gave out the cards to needy families. Officers in the patrol division also handed out some. Like last year, the department was supplied with the cards by an anonymous donor who wants to spread some Christmas cheer to people who really need it.
After they visited the kitchen at 551 Mahoning Ave., the pair headed to the South Side, where they presented gift cards to Jessica Dickerson, who just gave birth to her seventh child. Her house had burned down.
Ott said several people are helping the Dickersons, donating coats for her kids and furniture to replace the items lost in the fire at her house on Garfield Street.
Dickerson said she was stunned by the outpouring of support.
“It’s been a blessing,” Dickerson said.
Moran and Ott both said they love helping people out, but they also just as much love the fact so many people stepped up to help the department reach out to needy people – from the people who donated gifts earlier this month to the department’s Fill A Cruiser event to give gifts to needy kids; to the donor who gave the department the gift cards; to the person housing Calliton and Teri until their situation can be improved; to all the people helping the Dickersons.
“There’s a lot of wonderful people in the community who step up,” Moran said.
Teri said his plans for the cards are simple: “Buy some warm clothes.”
Calliton, who has been with Teri for 17 years, said the two have been living off her veterans disability pension, which is not much.
“Now we are actually going to have some money to buy Christmas presents,” Calliton said.
Dickerson said she also now will be able to buy gifts as well as some essentials for her children.
Calliton said she is touched by the generosity of the community. “Youngstown rocks,” she said.