Why Lafayette Police Officers Will Wait Tables to Help Women and Children
Lafayette Police officers constantly work to protect and serve. Still, they will take the serve part more literally on Wednesday, May 28, when several officers will become servers at both locations of Deano's Pizza to help out Faith House.
The event is called "Tip A Cop." That evening, officers will be waiting on customers and hoping for tips, which will be donated to Faith House.
What's Faith House?
According to the Mission Statement of Faith House, they are there
To provide shelter, safety, empowerment, and advocacy to survivors of domestic violence.
The organization offers a variety of services to women and their children who are experiencing domestic violence. They have a domestic violence shelter in Lafayette and one in Mansura.
How Else Does Faith House Help?
Faith House also has outreach programs in several other parts of Acadiana to offer assistance, advocacy, and access to legal information.
One startling statistic that many people may not know is that half of the women and children who are experiencing homelessness are doing so to flee a domestic violence situation.
For the last year for which data were released, a little over 27,000 women and children received crisis intervention services from Faith House. Officials say just over 11,000 people were able to utilize their emergency shelter.
How Is Deano's Restaurants Helping With "Tip A Cop"?
The owners of Deano's restaurants have been long-time supporters of Faith House, so they will open both locations of the pizza restaurants so that police officers can wait on guests.
The program is simple: you visit one of Deano's two locations in Lafayette, the Kaliste Saloom or Bertrand Drive location, and tip a cop.
Be sure to visit the restaurants between 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Who Will Be Waiting On Tables?
The men and women in patrol, SWAT, and other departments will take over the role of waiter or waitress to help Faith House.
One of Deano's owners, Karen Metcalf, told KLFY it's an event that is pleasing and fun for both the officers and those who come to the restaurants.
Whoever works that night is at first like, I don't know how this is going to work out. After the first night, they request to work every year because it's so fun. The officers come and they are carrying food, they are learning to use the computer, they are pouring drinks, they are interacting with the customers and really getting that big tip. We love to see it.
Domestic Violence Impacts Everyone
According to officials at Faith House, between four and six children in every classroom in our state witness violence in their homes.
Between three and four of the children mentioned above are also victims of domestic violence in their homes.
Every 9 seconds in the United States, a woman is battered.
One-fourth of all homicides in America are between family members, and 40% of all women who are murdered die at the hands of their husbands or lovers.
How Can Someone Get Help If They Are Experiencing Domestic Violence?
If someone wants information about domestic violence or if they are experiencing this in their lives, they can read about what is available at faithhouseacadiana.com.
If you want to speak to someone, you can contact the local outreach center by calling 337-232-8954 during normal weekday hours. There is also a hotline that has someone available to speak 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling 888-411-1333.
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Gallery Credit: Isabel Sepulveda
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