On Tuesday, a group of 48 students from Bossier Youth Leadership participated in social services day and took a tour of the Bossier Sheriff’s Office Operation Blessing Food Pantry; a program the Bossier Sheriff’s Office founded in 1996 to help raise canned and dry food to families year-round.

The students learned about operations for the Spirit of Christmas Food Drive and how volunteer deputies and Posse members organize and separate canned and dry food into boxes to be handed out to families who are less fortunate during the holiday season. On December 12th, Bossier Sheriff deputies will partner with Brookshires Grocery to travel across Bossier Parish to hand out the boxes of food to various families in hopes of making their holiday season a little brighter.

The Bossier Youth Leadership is a program that teaches juniors from various high schools across Bossier Parish about leadership, morals, and values. Bossier Youth Leadership, B.Y.L. for short, is an extension of the Bossier Chamber of Commerce and the Bossier Parish School Board. This is the 30th year that B.Y.L. has been in operation.