It’s all part of the Oceanside Police Department’s Random Acts of Kindness Project. Each month officers focus on a different way to help out strangers in their community.
In March, they handed out envelopes filled with cash at local gas stations to help combat rising oil prices, and this month they’re helping shoppers with their grocery bills.
The department wrote on its social media sites – “Grocery costs have skyrocketed, and Oceanside police officers are heading out to stores to help people overcome food insecurity. OPD will surprise shoppers with Random Acts of Kindness by helping with the grocery tab in April.”
This week, officers have stopped by multiple stores at different times of the day to give out $100
One woman asked after being approached by members of the department, “Are you serious? I never thought of anything like that happening, it’s remarkable, takes your breath away.” The exchange was caught on KGTV.
The program originally launched in December as a way to “help make spirits brighter in Oceanside” during the holiday season. At the time, that meant giving away $100 to unsuspecting drivers.
Then, the family behind the original donation decided to give the department $20,000 in order to keep the kindness going year-round.
The department hopes the program will deepen their relationships with the community.