Helping hands
WPPBF assists police officers, their families in times of crises
Police officer James Kuzak was shot back in April 2011 while responding to a domestic disturbance call in Clairton. Friends gathered to raise money to help him and his family.
Though medical bills were covered, they quickly realized other bills were not and that no agency existed to help police officers and their families in times of crises.
South Park Township Police Officer Rich Griffith had an idea to start one, and that’s how the Western Pennsylvania Police Benevolent Foundation (WPPBF) started. The WPPBF is this month’s recipient of the Driven By Hope Award, sponsored by Washington Auto Mall.
The WPPBF provides immediate assistance, including mental health support, lodging, and logistical help to injured officers in need. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization of sworn law enforcement personnel, retired law enforcement as well as members of the community who are served and protected by these officers.
Andrew “Drew” Volchko is a veteran patrol officer with the Bethel Park Police Department and serves as president of the WPPBF.
“A group of us from mainly the South Hills, all street officers, got together and initially wanted to do it for Jimmy,” says Volchko. “As we were doing that, we realized pretty much how there’s nothing out there. If an officer gets killed, there are programs and benefits. But for something catastrophic, in the meantime, there’s nothing to bridge that difference. We realized there was a much larger need.”
The organization helps officers across Western Pennsylvania.
“In the cases where it’s a fallen officer, a lot of times we have enough connections who will reach out for one of the employees,” he says. “We’ve also gotten calls directly from those departments at times, too.”
They try to deploy resources as quickly as possible to ensure there is help for anyone suffering mental health crises and getting help for families to cope. From help with housing for families, grief counseling, assisting families of officers with hotel rooms near a hospital where their loved one is being treated to even doing yardwork for an injured officer, the WPPBF helps in every way possible.
“Material-wise, I’ve worked with Home Depot, 84 Lumber is a big partner,” Volchko says of local businesses that have helped and donated goods and services. “We’ve been able to call and get resources that are needed. There’s a lot of good, good groups here, and because we’ve been able to work with them over time, I can make that call and say, ‘Hey, can I get help here?'”
Volchko knows firsthand what it’s like to be injured in the line of duty. He was badly hurt while on duty in 2000 and spent 31 months recovering from severe injuries to his shoulder, elbow and the nerves in both.
“It wasn’t till the adrenaline was gone that I realized I could no longer move my arm,” he remembers. “I know what it’s like to be on that side of it. When we started doing this, it was kind of personal, too, because we were all young cops when I got hurt, and we didn’t know how to handle that. Now, we do, and we make sure that nobody’s left out there.”
In addition to helping to modify homes if an officer can’t do steps or move around anymore, the organization pitches in with whatever else injured officers and their families need, whether that is providing money for groceries or mowing the lawn.
“It just depends on what their need is and what they want, because some don’t want to be out public,” says Volchko. “That’s life-changing when you’re suddenly off hurt.”
He says the community can help support WPPBF by joining and taking part in their fundraising activities throughout the year.
For more information on the Western Pennsylvania Police Benevolent Foundation, please visit https://wppbf.org/.