Public Safety 32st Annual Holiday Food Basket Program Continues #PGSO

Upper Marlboro, MD… County Police Chief Hank Stawinski, Board President of the Public Safety Assistance Program, Inc. board was joined by Sheriff Melvin C. High, Fire Chief Marc S. Bashoor, Director Department of Corrections Mary Lou McDonough, Homeland Security and other board members for the official kickoff press conference of the 32st Annual Holiday Food Basket Program today. The event marked the beginning of deliveries of over 2,000 food baskets to county families.

“Without the help of Public Safety employees’ this simply would not be possible without support from all our sponsors who continue to support us year after year,” said Bill Milligan, Executive Director of the Public Safety Assistance Program. He thanked everyone for their generosity and participation.

The Public Safety Assistance, Inc. Holiday Food Basket Program started many years ago when two law enforcement officers watched a man peel leaves from a head of lettuce because he couldn’t afford the whole thing. That story found its way to the public safety agency heads who started the program. Thirty-two years later the program continues to make a difference and helps to bring joy to county citizens during the holiday season.

 Once the food baskets were filled, they were loaded into a trailer and a caravan led by Santa riding on a fire engine under police escort headed off to the Emerson House Senior Community in Bladensburg MD. Santa with his team of Public Safety Assistants were greeted cheerfully by the residents as food baskets were presented. Santa and his team made more food basket delivers throughout the day and even stopped by Riverside Elementary School to handle out candy canes to the children – all in the spirit of giving.

For more information contact the Prince George’s County Office of the Sheriff’s Communications and Public Affairs Division at 301-780-7354.