Specific Ways to Show Your Support After Dallas Attacks

Specific Ways to Show Your Support in Dallas Now!

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Wondering how you can you show your support after the attacks last week on our beloved city? I’m sharing 10 ways you can spread the love in our affected city, including reputable charities and a list of the generous businesses are donating a portion of their profits.

1. Make a Donation. 

  •  Assist the Officer Foundation. This organization provides financial assistance to officers facing the loss of income due to injury, illness, or catastophic event. You can specify an officer’s name if you’d like your donation to help a specific family. (Find a list of the officers killed here.) Or just make a general donation. Donate online or mail a check or money order to: Assist the Officer, 1412 Griffin Street East, Dallas, TX 75215.
  • Dallas Fallen Officer Foundation – Provides financial assistance and other suppotive services to officers and their families following the catastrophic incident that result in the officer’s death or inability to work. Donate online.
  • Line of Duty Fund at The Dallas Foundation – This organizations will distribite 100% off funds to affected DPD and DART families. Donate online or mail a check to: The Dallas Foundation, 3963 Maple Avenue, Suite 390, Dallas, TX 75219.
  • Tom Thumb – You can make a donation at checkout to Dallas Assist the Officer Foundation (above).
  • Local Churches – Check with your church as oftentimes they have know of a specific need that can be met.

Note: Be wary of GoFundMe acccounts that pop up; in most cases, it’s best to give directly to a reputable organization.

2. Put a Blue Ribbon on your Car, Door, Tree.

  • Find at Michaels or on Amazon. You can also buy cheap blue plastic tablecloths at a dollar store or Party City and cut into strips to use as bows. Blue tulle works well, too.

3. Shake a Police Officer’s Hand.

  • When you see a police officer at the Rangers game, at a pizza shop, or just patroling the street, say “thank you for all you do” and teach your children to do the same.

4. Write a letter of thanks to the police, fire station, or first responders.

  • Have your children do the same or have them color a picture. Mail to your local station in Dallas or wherever you live in Texas or across the country. Find adddresses for DPD locations here.

5. Buy a T-Shirt.

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  • Unite Dallas t-shirt ($23) – Proceeds will go toward Assist the Officer Foundation.
  • Pray for Dallas t-shirt ($15)- Proceeds will go toward the Dallas Fallen Officers Foundation, National Latino Law Enforcement Organization, Dallas Police Department, and DART.
  • Back the Blue t-shirt ($20)- Sponsored by the Dallas Police Association Spouses Facebook group. 100% of proceeds go to the Assist the Officer Foundation. Email webackthebluedallas@gmail.com.

6. Give Your Business to Local Businesses Giving Back

  • This Week: 
    • Cedars Social – During the week of July 11-15th Cedars Social, which is next door to the Police Department, is opening its doors for lunch from 11 am – 2pm. Collaborating chefs will work together at the boutique venue to create a daily delicious lunch option; the proceeds of which will be donated to the Assist the Officers Fund.” Front of house staff from Boulevardier and Rapscallion have volunteered to work the lunches.
    • Fireside Pies – On Thursday, June 14th, 100% off all proceeds from all locations will go to Assist the Officer.
    • Newk’s –  On July 16th and 17th, all DFW locations will donate 15% of profits to help assist the victims. (Charity not specified.)
    • Remedy – On July 17th, 50% off brunch sales will go to families of the victims.
  • Throughout July: 

    • Breadwinners, Henry’s Majestic, and Quarter Bar – will donate a percentage of proceeds to the families of the fallen officers through Dallas Police Association. Overages in food and catering will be brought to local police stations.
    • Trophy Fitness Club – Matching donations to Assist the Officer (through a GoFund me account) up to $10,000.
    • Fireside Pies – July 14th the restaurant will donate all proceeds to organizations supporting the fallen officers’ families.
    • Deep Ellum Brewing Company – Throughout July, anyone that makes a donation of $20 or more will receive an “in-kind” complimentary tab in the Taproom + Kitchen for the remainder of the month.
    • Lakewood Taproom – Through the end of July 100% of the sales from All Call will go directly to the Guns & Hoses Foundation of NTX to help aid the families of the victims of this week’s tragedy.
    • Lone Chimney Mercantile – Located in the Dallas Farmers Market, this company will donate 25% off print sales to wounded officers and civilians that were injured Thursday night.
    • Jenn Thatcher Art – 8 x 10 prints for $10 (reg. $40). All $10 will go to Assist the Officer Foundation! Purchase at Ship Express, 3026 mockingbird, Dallas.
    • **I will keep adding to this list so please comment below if you know more!**

7. If you own a small  business, show your support with ribbon, signage, donation, or other kind gesture.

8. Drop off a cooler of cold gatorade and water at your neighorhood police or fire station with a note of support.

  • Or call ahead and see what they need! (Many right now are filled to the brim with food!).
  • Consider doing something for the hard-working doctors, nurses, and counselors in local emergency rooms who deal with the direct aftermath of tragedies like these.  I don’t think they would turn away food or drinks on those long shifts!

9. Organize a family meet and greet with your local HOA or neighborhood association to meet the officers who patrol your neighborhood or who are stationed nearby.

  • Or raise money to treat them to dinner one night or host a BBQ for them and their families this summer!

10. Circle a date 3, 6, 12 months on your calendar to do one of the above.

  • Tragedies stay on our minds usually as long as they stay in the news and then the public moves on. If you’ve ever experienced grief you know it hits hardest when it feels like everyone else has moved on. Write one of the affected families a letter or perhaps send pizzas to your neighborhood police station. Or just don’t forget to always say hello to police officers and first responders and acknowledge their presence in our city.

If you are a police officer or first responder, many businesses in Dallas are offering free meals to police officers and first responders, the Dallas Observer and Dallas Morning News have growing lists.

I am writing a second post of simple, but thoughtful, things we can do in the weeks and months ahead to help heal the wounds in our city and in our nation. You can sign up for my email list here if you want to receive that in a few days.

Please comment more ideas below and please share on your Facebook page!

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12 Comments

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12 thoughts on “Specific Ways to Show Your Support in Dallas Now!

  1. July 10, 2016…..Thank you Lee for posting these 10 ideas to show appreciation for our law enforcement officers.

    Kathy Anderson

  2. Wonderful ideas! I live in Arkansas, but these inspire me to thank our local emergency personnel for all they do! Praying for those in Dallas!!

  3. Wanting to order the “back the blue” shirt, but I’m wondering how you found out about it and if the email is legitimate? Just wanting to double check so I can make sure the money is going to the officers.
    Thanks!!

    1. Good question. They don’t have a website but there is a group called Dallas PD Spouses, made up of spouses of current Dallas Police Officers. They are not not a 5013C but have organized this shirt in response to the attacks. One of the members is in another group with me and asked me to put this on my site. Feel free to email the organizer at the email address listed for more questions.

      1. Thanks for clarifying! Ordered some shirts from them last night!

        Also, thanks so much for this post! I know tons of people asking how to give back and this post has it all in one Spot.
        Thanks again!!

  4. Blue masking tape is an easy way to add a thin blue line to your back windshield. I have already seen a few around Big D.
    Peace