The Homeless Donated $8 To A Slain Officer's Family. Now The Community Is Rallying Behind The Homeless

October 4, 2022

At the funeral of Police Officer Seara Burton, Richmond Police Lieutenant Donnie Benedict said someone walked into the police station and handed over a white envelope.

Inside it was 8 one dollar bills. The anonymous donation was from the homeless community in Richmond.

Lieutenant Donnie Benedict / WRTV

"This gift was in a wrinkled dirty well-used envelope. They handed the envelope to the information officer and on the envelope was written these four words: people from the street. The person explained that several of the homeless people from the city of Richmond have taken up a donation from the people that live on our streets here in Richland and they wanted to donate this to Seara's family.

"There have been many valuable gifts given in honor of Seara. However none, and I mean none, are more valuable than the gift of 8 $1 bills in a dirty white envelope," Benedict said on Monday at the funeral.

That act of kindness has sparked a movement in Richmond. The community is now rallying behind the homeless population.

WRTV

The story touched resident Amber Conley, who made a call out on Facebook asking for donations.

"Ask and you shall receive; we've got more donations in the last 12 hours than we have in the entire 3 days. It's been insane," Conley said.

They have collected enough donations to fill an entire room in the Richmond Fire Station — everything from blankets, coats, water, tents and more.

WRTV

"Her mom told me that she would love this. She would love people helping people and reaching out," Conley said. "Everyone feels so hopeless and I feel like now that unfortunately Seara is gone this is the best legacy you could every leave behind is people showing kindness to the other citizens in honor of her."

Officer Burton died on Sept. 18. She was shot while responding to help other officers with a traffic stop. She was 28 years old and joined the police department four years ago.