PHILADELPHIA, PA -- The Kindergarten class of St. Thomas Aquinas Independence Mission School invited police officers from the 17th District to a Gingerbread House Party on Tuesday, December 19, 2023. This day of creativity and camaraderie was sponsored by the Families Behind the Badge Children’s Foundation (FBBCF). Officers from the 17th were joined by Philadelphia Police Department Inspector Matt Gillespie and FBBCF staff.
The officers partner closely with the teachers, administration, and schoolchildren throughout the year as part of the Families Behind the Badge Children’s Foundation’s Police Youth Alliance Program (PYA). The Police Youth Alliance program is taught by uniformed Philadelphia Police Officers in an effort build better relationships with the neighborhoods they serve. PYA features activities such as gardening, chess, step dance, drumline, carpentry, art and reading in various schools throughout Philadelphia. For more information about the Police Youth Alliance, please visit: Police Youth Alliance (fbbcf.org)