CORPUS CHRISIT, Tx — K-99 Corpus Christi teamed up with several organizations to collect new stuffed animals and teddy bears for law enforcement agencies in the Coastal Bend.
H&H Towing and Concrete Street Amphitheater are also partners in the cause. The donation drive kicked off October 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Brewster Street Icehouse.
Corpus Christi Police Department Senior Officer Javier Cantu says the stuffed animals are essential tools for their line of work.
"We roll up on a lot of these major accidents, family violence, just different events where children are involved and they're traumatized. They're hesitant to speak to us, and once that teddy bear or that little stuffed animal comes out, it just changes their perception of us, and they open up," said Officer Cantu.
Big Frank with K99 says H&H Towing reached out to him because they wanted to do something to help the community.
"We came up with the Badges and Bears concept, and we're set up here at Brewster Street on the south side, and we've had a number of people reaching out collecting dolls," said Big Frank.
"It's heartwarming whenever people come up and say they listen to you, and we heard what you were doing, and we wanted to help you out. You know, some people are not as fortunate as others. It's just beautiful to see when people step up and help out," added Big Frank.
