Attorney General Ashley Moody today presented a Back the Blue Award to School Resource Officer Donna Aiossa-McNally highlighting the selfless service of a great officer who helps special needs students. Deputy Aiossa-McNally serves at Buckingham Exceptional Student Center in Fort Myers and turned her office into a food pantry for special needs students to shop for food. By creating this food pantry and the shopping experience, Deputy Aiossa-McNally is teaching students important vocational skills. The food pantry is especially significant at Buckingham because 78 percent of the students qualify for free or reduced lunches.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “School Resource Officers are important to the schools they serve in many ways, and after visiting School Resource Officer Donna Aiossa-McNally’s school today, it is clear how valued she is by these students and the impact she has made on her school. Deputy Aiossa-McNally has a huge heart. I love the confidence and independence she is building with her students. Thank you, Deputy Aiossa-McNally for going above and beyond your duties, for building a strong relationship between local law enforcement and your community, and for simply being the good person you are.”
Deputy Aiossa-McNally started the food pantry by personally stocking the shelves and is now partnered with Harry Chapin Food Bank to ensure the shelves are always full. Harry Chapin Food Bank delivers 400 to 500 pounds of food to the school every Friday.
If anyone wishes to support Deputy Aiossa-McNally’s food pantry, donations or food can be sent to Harry Chapin Food Bank. For more information, click here.
Deputy Aiossa-McNally started with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in 2007 and has served as a School Resource Officer for four years. Along with the dedicated roles performed with the Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Aiossa-McNally is well-known for her philanthropic service, such as working with and helping the homeless in Fort Myers. Deputy Aiossa-McNally plans on continuing the food pantry at Buckingham and hopes to make the school’s home economics kitchen ADA and wheelchair accessible. With this opportunity, the students could then learn how to cook and make dishes themselves with the food and produce they shop for at the food pantry.
To nominate a law enforcement officer, citizen or organization for a Back the Blue Award, please email [email protected].
For more information about the Attorney General’s Back the Blue Award, click here.
Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Back the Blue campaign highlights law enforcement officers, citizens and organizations taking extraordinary steps to forge positive relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Supporting law enforcement is a top priority for Attorney General Moody and the mission of Back the Blue is to commend Florida’s brave law enforcement officers and Floridians who back them..
