University Park Women's Club donates gift cards to Bradenton Police

When City of Bradenton Police Department officers come into contact with community members in need, they now have the ability to give them a $25 Publix gift card as a boost.

The University Park Women’s Club donated 216 gift cards of $25 each so officers could distribute those throughout the community as needed. 

“We are proud to support the efforts of our local police officers as they work to make the residents of Bradenton both safer and more secure,” said Vicki DiPaolo, the president of the University Park Women’s Club. “Police officers often see first hand who are in need of food and often provide assistance from their own pockets.”

Raising money for gift cards to give to the Bradenton Police is a new initiative for the women’s club. The group’s members raised the money with along with an anonymous donation and an unspecified donation from Publix. 

“As soon as you tell someone about this, everyone’s face just lights up, and they say, ‘Wow, that sounds like a wonderful idea,’” said Karen Vereb, the first vice president of the women’s club.

Vereb said the police department was eager to coordinate with the women’s club as soon as the group approached the department. She said the Manatee Community Foundation suggested the Bradenton police.

“As soon as that first phone call was made, we knew this was going to be a great kind of cooperative project,” Vereb said. 

DiPaolo presented Assistant Police Chief Josh Cramer and Police Chief Melanie Bevan with the gift cards Aug. 31. 

“We are grateful anytime the Bradenton Police Department can serve as a bridge between struggling members of the community,” Bevan said. “Distribution of the gift cards will be tracked and measured for the success of this outreach program.”

Vereb looks forward to seeing the impact the initiative makes on the community and hopes the club will continue the initiative in the future.