Trusted World working with police departments to get food, items to North Texans in need

GARLAND, Texas - A North Texas organization is working with police to help people in need. 

It's a way for officers to serve the community when an arrest is not the answer. 

Trusted World's slogan is "helping people help people." That's exactly what the group does through partnerships with non-profits, schools, and police departments. 

At a sorting facility in Garland, rows of tubs are overflowing with clothes. Shelves of bins are full of used and new items for someone in need.

Food is also packed up and ready for delivery at a moment’s notice. 

"We go through $5,000 and $7,000 worth of food in a month," Michael Garrett said. "What’s in the box is one week’s worth of non-perishable food for the entire family. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

Garrett started Trusted World in his garage seven years ago.

"Last year, we provided 1.4 million dollars’ worth of resources back into the community with a staff of five, and we took care of about 15,000 people," he explained.

People may know Trusted World from disasters, like Hurricane Harvey in 2017, when thousands of volunteers helped get resources and supplies to survivors.

But that's what the group does year-round, and it’s now expanding through partnerships across North Texas.

"It’s to make it so that people who are on the front line, police officer, school counselors, case workers, who see the need every day, not have to reach into their wallet to buy resources. They can order directly from us at no cost," Harvey said.

"That’s why most of us became officers, is to help the community in any way that we can," Rowlett PD Det. Cynthia Zavala explained.

Rowlett is one of seven North Texas police departments working with Trusted World.

"You’ve heard all the stories of police officers going to Walmart, buying something, and bringing it back. They don’t have to do that anymore," Garrett said.

Officers can put in a request through their computer or an app, and then Trusted World will deliver the items to the family within two days.

"In that respect, it is a game changer. They are there pretty much immediately to help families," Det. Zavala said.

"A lot of times, the police get there and they’re like, ‘I don’t know what to do. This isn’t something I’d arrest you for. You’re just going through a tough time, but I’m seeing it,’" Harvey explained. "For the police, it makes it so they can focus on their job."

Trusted World is also partnering with non-profit organizations, like United Way and American Red Cross. The goal is to expand the operation across the Metroplex and to other large Texas cities.

People who would like to help can donate items or cash, and there's always a need for volunteers.