More than 1,000 students were rewarded with a full Thanksgiving meal for their commitment to live a gang-free life. Every year, OC GRIP (Gang Reduction & Intervention Program) partners with local law enforcement, Ralphs and Food 4 Less to provide Thanksgiving meals to students who improved their attendance, worked hard in school and said no to gangs. Nearly 200 families from 11 schools in the Orange County Sheriff’s Department jurisdiction were awarded turkey dinners for their participation in GRIP, including 45 students from San Clemente elementary schools. “As a law enforcement community, it is important to find ways to support students who continue to make positive choices, despite many challenges they face,” said Capt. Mike Peters, former San Clemente City Chief and Las Palmas alumnus. “These turkey dinners are one way we recognize their efforts encourage them to continue putting in the hard work.” OC GRIP is a nonprofit that supports the initiatives of the GRIP program in the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. This program has more than 200 partners in 13 cities, including police departments, probation departments and more than 100 private businesses and non-profit organizations. Over the last four years, through a partnership with selected schools that are at-risk for gang violence, GRIP has put thousands of kids between 8 and 12 years old through their program
