APPLING, Ga. () – The community continues to mourn the loss of Deputy Brandon Sikes following this weekend’s officer-involved shooting. 

Now, one local organization is working to raise donations for the Sikes family. 

Shields and Ladders is an organization in our area that comes alongside first responders when they are the ones in need of help. 

Theopolis Knight established the organization two years ago with the purpose of assisting families of first responders during unexpected medical or financial crises.

“It impacts them more profoundly since they’re accustomed to providing help rather than receiving it, so they often don’t ask for assistance. I see this firsthand working in law enforcement,” Knight explained.

The goal of these donations is to cover their basic needs, that way they can focus on recovering.

Knight says it all comes down to helping those who strive to help our community. 

“For instance, they might require a relative to be flown in to care for their children or home. Alternatively, they may just need someone to talk to, and we aim to be there for them. They might need help with cleaning the house, buying groceries, or mowing the lawn—we think outside the box. We want to engage with them and create solutions tailored specifically for them,” Knight added.

The organization has helped other previously injured deputies in our area, including Richmond County Deputy Kenneth Mercer after he was shot in the neck 2 years ago while on duty. 

Last year, they also worked with the family of Washington County Deputy Gordon Alley, after he became paralyzed from the waist down due to a car crash. 

Knight says the work to support the Sikes family is well underway, and they invite the community to join the effort. 

“We have a meal train going on, we have people bringing food to us, so the community is responding very well. Give us a call, go online and let us know what they want to do. It may not be monetary—they might just want to bring some food in for the families. We’ll be there for them,” said Knight.

If you’d like to make a donation to Shields and Ladders to support the Sikes’ family, you can go to their website here.