Family in transition gets huge help from Carrollton residents, police

A local police department has made a huge difference in a newly relocated family's life.

A random act of kindness by Carrollton Police officers has inspired an outpouring of support for a young family new to North Texas.

The family, who doesn't want to be identified, just moved here from Missouri to take jobs. Officers saw a suspicious car in this closed city park early Friday morning and inside found a couple sleeping with a small child.

When police made contact with the couple, they explained that they were staying in their car until they could move into an apartment.

"They're not in this line of work for the attention or for the praise or for the glory," says Jolene DeVito the City of Carrollton's "civilian" spokesperson. "They needed help not handcuffs; it was just a young couple just really in a tight spot."

DeVito says the officers, who also don't want to be identified, got the young family a hotel room and a few necessities they'd need.

The story was posted to the Carrollton Police Facebook page and got a huge response.

"Whenever I saw the posting on Facebook, i read the story and i was like wow! The police actually stopped they helped them and now they are reaching out to our whole community and now here we all are, to help," says Amey McCoppin.

People from in and around Carrollton came to the police department to drop off just everything from clothes to bedding, food and gift cards.

"We have all kinds of set up for this little girl, all kinds of clothes and diapers, dishes we have housewares, all their things they are going to need to get set up," DeVito explains.

Dozens of strangers made a point to bring additional help for this new family in North Texas.

DeVito says the family was reluctant to accept help from the department let alone the community... but they are thankful and grateful to know the place they have moved is so warm and welcoming.