Assisted living residents assemble 'bridge bags' for Milwaukee's unhoused population

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Milwaukee Police Department is continuing a winter tradition this year, with the help of people who are in assisted living. 

Every year, a group of residents from Clement Manor's Memory Care Center helps assemble hundreds of bags of donated winter gear, snacks, water bottles, and other items. 

The Milwaukee Police Department then distributes the bags to officers, who will hand them out to unhoused individuals. 

They call them "bridge bags," meant to bridge the gap between officers and the city's unhoused population and connect them with resources. 

"I'm just glad that we can do this every year," one Clement Manor resident said. "It's very good, makes us feel good inside."

"It's kind of humbling for us," said Capt. Rob Theil, MPD District 1. "Sometimes we get lost in our profession, and to see the love and the feedback is something that really warms my heart."

The items for the bags are collected year-round at Clement Manor.