Oftentimes in life, things can get so chaotic and busy, it can be hard to find a single minute to yourself.
Still, when we can find those moments, a lot of us choose to turn our attention and spare time to helping the neediest people in our community, as we saw with the sweet police officer who bought groceries for a homeless family in desperate need of food.
Recently, a similar story has become circulating again on the web. It first took place back in January of 2016, but it bears repeating in these hot and hectic summer months.
A group of dedicated police officers in Tennessee made the news when they were caught in the heartwarming act of taking money out of their own pockets to help out an elderly man in their community.
There sweet gesture left thousands in awe, and serves as a constant reminder of how important it is to be in touch with your community!
Check out the gallery below to learn more about this incredible story!
It all started when the police precinct received a telephone call from an elderly man in town.
He had a simple, distressing request that mobilized the whole department in minutes.
Could they please, he asked, bring some food to his apartment?
The elderly man lived in the quiet, bucolic city of Mount Pleasant, TN.
The well-named city is small, scenic, and historic, with just 5,000 people living in its limits.
The community, just outside of the border of Appalachia, is a close-knit kind of place, where people step up for one another and help out in a pinch.
This was no exception.
The elderly man confessed to the dispatcher that he hadn't eaten in two days.
The man, 79 years old, has apparently been robbed of his debit card by a former caretaker, leaving him without funds in the depths of a historically destructive winter.
It's not clear whether he had family in the area, or whether they had been equally trapped by the bad weather.
Without anyone else to turn to, the local officers were more than happy to come to the rescue.
In addition to providing the community's law enforcement, they're involved in everything from supporting the high school sports teams to conducting campaigns against distracted driving.
As is the case in many small towns and cities, the police are familiar faces that can be relied on in a tight spot.
According to the Facebook page, Wayne County Now, "The officers sprung into action. These officers bought the elderly man enough food to stock his pantry for a month."
The men in the group, identified as Officers Odom, Gray, Runion, and Bolton by News 2 Nashville, took $160 out of their own pockets, pooling it together to help the elderly gentleman stock the cupboards for weeks to come.
And a good thing they swept in when they did, because a truly massive snowstorm struck just one weekend later.
Meanwhile, the officers of Mount Pleasant PD set out to help their new friend in more long-lasting ways.
They started a food pantry for canned goods to help needy residents.
They also tracked down the fraudulent caregiver, and arrested her for her crimes, renewing access to those bank accounts.
If these incredible police officers touched your heart, make sure to SHARE this story with friends and family!
