FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 19, 2024) – Generosity was fully displayed in Franklin County during this year’s
‘Cram the Cruiser’ food drive, organized by Kentucky State Police (KSP) Post 12. Six schools in the
Frankfort area joined the challenge to collect food for local families in need, ultimately gathering an
impressive 6,550 pounds of food donations. These contributions were delivered to the Emergency
Community Food Pantry of Franklin County, providing essential support for the holiday season.
‘Cram the Cruiser,’ a statewide initiative led by all 16 KSP posts, directs donations to local food banks,
shelters, churches and other community organizations. According to KSP Post 12 Public Affairs Officer
Josh Satterly, the program's success is influenced by the friendly competition among schools.
“This campaign shows the incredible difference we can make when we unite for a common cause,” said
Satterly. “We’re deeply grateful to the students and staff for their outstanding efforts to support the
local food pantry.”
The Frankfort Christian Academy emerged as this year’s top contributor, collecting an astounding 3,650
pounds of food. As the winning school, they will receive a traveling trophy presented by a KSP trooper
and the agency’s mascot, Justice.
"We are excited to partner with the Kentucky State Police for the annual Cram the Cruiser food drive.
Each year, we challenge our students to ‘love their neighbor’ by bringing in food for those in our
community in need,” said The Frankfort Christian Academy Principal, Carrie Beth Tigges. “We are
proud that they stepped up in a big way this year and brought in over 3,600 pounds of food! I pray it is a
blessing to our community."
Other participating schools were Hearn Elementary (950 lbs.), Collins Lane (900 lbs.), Early Learning
Village (600 lbs.), Westridge Elementary (250 lbs.) and Capital Day (200 lbs.). Additionally, KSP
collaborated with the Frankfort Police Department and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office during a separate
three-day food collection drive.
John Heltzel, Coordinator for the Emergency Community Food Pantry, expressed gratitude for the
public’s support, noting that the donations would provide an ample amount of groceries for families in
need.
“This year's Cram the Cruiser was a tremendous success. We are very thankful for the partnership with
Kentucky State Police and our local law enforcement agencies,” said Heltzel. “The generosity of the
community and our volunteers completely filled the pantry. We are in great shape to continue our
mission going into 2025.”
To view photos of collection events at each school, click
here.
From November 21 to December 9, KSP collected an impressive 204,262 pounds of food to support
families across Kentucky. This year, KSP Post 16 in Henderson collected the most food donations, with
an impressive 115,348 pounds of food. Since its inception in 2010, the ‘Cram the Cruiser’ program has
collected nearly three million pounds of food to support families across Kentucky. For more information
on how you can contribute, visit the Emergency Community Food Pantry of Franklin County’s website.