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Police officer buys car seats for single mom instead of giving her ticket during traffic stop

Police officer buys car seats for single mom instead of giving her ticket during traffic stop
Facebook / Lashae Jackson

Andrella "Lashae" Jackson, a single mom of five, was pulled over by the Milwaukee Police earlier this month for having the wrong registration on her car. But when Officer Zimmerman approached the vehicle, he noticed two small kids in the backseat without car seats. Instead of giving her a ticket, he took it upon himself to help Jackson out during a difficult time.

"I see three kids in the backseat and two are very young. I didn't observe any child restraints or even seat belts and I asked why the kids aren't in car seats. She said she can't afford them at this time," Zimmerman told WTMJ-TV.



Jackson said with bills coming up and winter approaching, she would have to buy coats and boots for her children, so she didn't have the extra money to get new car seats.

"It was hard for me," Jackson told the news station.


RELATED: Police officer makes house call to ease 6-year-old's fears about monsters

After pulling Jackson over, Zimmerman went to Walmart and bought car seats along with some small items for the kids so she didn't "have to worry about at least part of the situation" she's in. He then installed the car seats for her to make sure her kids were strapped in safely.

"I'm a father myself, I have three kids. I thought of my kids jumping around. What if a car hit them and they flew and got seriously hurt, if not killed?" Zimmerman said.

Jackson "kept saying thank you and the kids kept saying thank you."

"Now, I'm able to finish getting coats," she said. "That saved me 70 something dollars on buying coats and hats and gloves. He's awesome. I really love him. I really appreciate everything he did for me."

The Milwaukee Police Department posted a shout-out to Zimmerman on it's Facebook page, thanking him for "going the extra mile going above and beyond [the] call of duty."

The post received hundreds of comments praising Zimmerman for his kind act.

RELATED: Indiana police department lets people pay for parking tickets with donations to local animal shelter

"This is an amazing story. Thanks for being a great example of what our police force should look like in situations like this! Pretty damn dope!"

"This is what "To Serve & Protect" is! May God bless you, Officer, for serving & protecting these precious children!"

"Thank you Officer Zimmerman for taking the time and the money you could have saved for your children to give to someone in need for their children. Keep up the great humanitarian work."

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Celebrate International Women's Day with these stunning photos of female leaders changing the world

The portraits, taken by acclaimed photographer Nigel Barker, are part of CARE's "She Leads the World" campaign.

Images provided by CARE

Kadiatu (left), Zainab (right)

True

Women are breaking down barriers every day. They are transforming the world into a more equitable place with every scientific discovery, athletic feat, social justice reform, artistic endeavor, leadership role, and community outreach project.

And while these breakthroughs are happening all the time, International Women’s Day (Mar 8) is when we can all take time to acknowledge the collective progress, and celebrate how “She Leads the World.

This year, CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to empowering women and girls, is celebrating International Women’s Day through the power of portraiture. CARE partnered with high-profile photographer Nigel Barker, best known for his work on “America’s Next Top Model,” to capture breathtaking images of seven remarkable women who have prevailed over countless obstacles to become leaders within their communities.

“Mabinty, Isatu, Adama, and Kadiatu represent so many women around the world overcoming incredible obstacles to lead their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA.

Barker’s bold portraits, as part of CARE’s “She Leads The World” campaign, not only elevate each woman’s story, but also shine a spotlight on how CARE programs helped them get to where they are today.

About the women:

Mabinty

international womens day, care.org

Mabinty is a businesswoman and a member of a CARE savings circle along with a group of other women. She buys and sells groundnuts, rice, and fuel. She and her husband have created such a successful enterprise that Mabinty volunteers her time as a teacher in the local school. She was the first woman to teach there, prompting a second woman to do so. Her fellow teachers and students look up to Mabinty as the leader and educator she is.

Kadiatu

international womens day, care.org

Kadiatu supports herself through a small business selling food. She also volunteers at a health clinic in the neighboring village where she is a nursing student. She tests for malaria, works with infants, and joins her fellow staff in dancing and singing with the women who visit the clinic. She aspires to become a full-time nurse so she can treat and cure people. Today, she leads by example and with ambition.

Isatu

international womens day, care.org

When Isatu was three months pregnant, her husband left her, seeking his fortune in the gold mines. Now Isatu makes her own way, buying and selling food to support her four children. It is a struggle, but Isatu is determined to be a part of her community and a provider for her kids. A single mother of four is nothing if not a leader.

Zainab

international womens day, care.org

Zainab is the Nurse in Charge at the Maternal Child Health Outpost in her community. She is the only nurse in the surrounding area, and so she is responsible for the pre-natal health of the community’s mothers-to-be and for the safe delivery of their babies. In a country with one of the world’s worst maternal death rates, Zainab has not lost a single mother. The community rallies around Zainab and the work she does. She describes the women who visit the clinic as sisters. That feeling is clearly mutual.

Adama

international womens day, care.org

Adama is something few women are - a kehkeh driver. A kehkeh is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi, known elsewhere as a tuktuk. Working in the Kissy neighborhood of Freetown, Adama is the primary breadwinner for her family, including her son. She keeps her riders safe in other ways, too, by selling condoms. With HIV threatening to increase its spread, this is a vital service to the community.

Ya Yaebo

international womens day, care.org

“Ya” is a term of respect for older, accomplished women. Ya Yaebo has earned that title as head of her local farmers group. But there is much more than that. She started as a Village Savings and Loan Association member and began putting money into her business. There is the groundnut farm, her team buys and sells rice, and own their own oil processing machine. They even supply seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture. She has used her success to the benefit of people in need in her community and is a vocal advocate for educating girls, not having gone beyond grade seven herself.

On Monday, March 4, CARE will host an exhibition of photography in New York City featuring these portraits, kicking off the multi-day “She Leads the World Campaign.

Learn more, view the portraits, and join CARE’s International Women's Day "She Leads the World" celebration at CARE.org/sheleads.


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Over or under? Surprisingly, there actually is a 'correct' way to hang a toilet paper roll.

Let's settle this silly-but-surprisingly-heated debate once and for all.

Elya/Wikimedia Commons

Should you hang the toilet paper roll over or under?



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