Jenkins’ Elves help give back to Memphis kids for the holidays in honor of late MPD officer
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - If you were at one busy Target store Wednesday in East Memphis, you may have spotted a flood of children filling their shopping baskets will all kinds of goodies!
It was all part of an annual tradition, put on by the loved ones of a late Memphis Police officer.
The shop-a-thon honors Memphis Police Officer Alphonso Jenkins, who passed away last November.
His giving heart lives on through his daughters, friends and fellow MPD officers.
“He started this about seven, eight years ago just with bikes then we moved to gift cards. This was his thing,” said Sergeant Martin Williamson. “This is all him. Everyone here is for him.”
While Jenkins served in the Frayser and Appling Farms precincts, he made it his mission to make a kid’s Christmas using his own money.
Family, friends and MPD’s Sergeant Martin Williamson continue to give in his memory.
“We’ve been doing this for years and it was never this big because it was just him and he didn’t really want any help from anybody so to see this what it became to now, it’s amazing,” said Sergeant Williamson.
More than 150 Memphis children from schools all over the city, got a chance to shop at Target on Colonial in East Memphis Wednesday.
Our camera followed as Bruce Elementary student McKenzie went up and down the aisles.
“I got a pretty doll, an American doll and outfits and a tea set for your friends! And I got a skateboard,” said McKenzie.
Officer Jenkins’ daughters plan to carry on his tradition and legacy.
“It wasn’t like are we doing this? It was like you are doing this,” said Officer Jenkin’s daughter Mekkah Jenkins said. “No choice, because we had been a part of it every single year and this was our dad’s thing.”
“Sometimes it’s bittersweet, but it’s also so much more exciting and who he was was more happy than the sorrows,” said Officer Jenkin’s daughter Genesis Jenkins. “So we’re leaning into that love and we’re leaning into that support. We’re seeing all the officers we grew up seeing, so it’s really fun to go everywhere and see all the kids and see them with their stuff.”
Jenkins’ Elves plan to put together this event again next year.
They’re hoping to have 200 children participate.
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