In the early morning hours, the streets around the Jackson County Fairgrounds filled with neighbors waiting to get a ham for the holidays. In a partnership with Garcia Laboratory in Jackson, Jackson police were equipped with 500 hams to give away.
- Jackson police gave away 500 free hams in partnership with Garcia Laboratory.
- Residents lined up as early as 5:15 a.m. at Jackson County Fairgrounds.
- Police Chief Simpson said the giveaway shows community appreciation and support.
I talked with Robert, who became the second car in line at 5:15 in the morning.
"You know, there's a lot of really nice cops out there and it's great the police are doing this for the community," Robert said.
I also ran into Amy Green who I talked to during the Thanksgiving turkey giveaway. She was in line once again to get a ham for a family in need.
"So this family has a family member in the hospital that helps support the family. And so right now, things are really tight, you know, close to the holidays. They don't have gifts for their children. So it's really difficult," Green said.
Jackson Police Chief Christopher Simpson simply wants the community to know that the police are there to help.
"In short, we're telling the community we appreciate you, we're here to help you, we're here to help sustain," Simpson said.
And of course, a little way to keep the feelings warm for the holiday season to neighbors near and far.
"It's a blessing. It really is," Robert said.
"It's a God-blessing thing," Chantela Kabuga said.
Kabuga and Charles Stephens had been waiting since 6 a.m.
"Probably the best thing I heard was 'Thank you.' 'Thank you for your service.' And you know, at the end of the day, that's what it's all about," Simpson said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
You can also see the latest news from across our mid-Michigan neighborhoods by liking us on Facebook or following us on X.
