Police will be collecting food donations for Thanksgiving, and hope to receive enough to be able to fill a cruiser — and a monster truck — to help families in need.
The James City County Police Department will be hosting the annual Stuff the Cruiser Thanksgiving Food Drive Saturday, according to a James City County news release.
Residents can make donations from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Settlers Market Walmart Neighborhood Market, located at 4670 Casey Boulevard in Williamsburg.
All food donations help, but police spokeswoman Stephanie Williams suggested giving Thanksgiving staples such as stuffing, cornbread mix, canned vegetables, gravy, canned pie filling and disposable roasting pans.
Police will partner with local churches in the coming weeks to distribute the goods to those in need, Williams said.
“We consider this annual event to have been a huge success in the past and anticipate the same this year,” Williams said in an email. “Each year we are moved by the number of people who stop by and contribute!”
Williams said James City County Police collected more than 3,000 items in last year’s Stuff the Cruiser drive.
While the event is named after common police cruisers, donors will also be filling the police department’s monster truck, the “Extreme 5-0.”
Williams said the cruiser has been over-stuffed in the past. While police typically bring a trailer to handle the overflow donations, this year they decided to bring the monster truck.