KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A viral post about Kansas City police officers helping a family in need grabbed enough attention that dozens of additional families will also get needed assistance.

Ryan Irsik handles Public Affairs and Government Relations for Walmart.

He noticed a tweet from the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department in September.

The tweet showed Officers Dwon Littlejohn and Brittany Hiltner with sacks of groceries. The tweet explained how the officers responded to a call from a grandmother. The woman and her grandchildren didn’t have anything to eat, so Littlejohn used his own money to buy them McDonald’s.

The next day the woman called Littlejohn and asked for more food.

The officers contacted a department social worker to help get groceries for the family.

Irsik told Kansas City’s Board of Police Commissioners Tuesday that officers should not have to use their own money to help cover basic needs for the community.

That’s why Irsik announced Walmart awarded the Kansas City Police Foundation with a $15,000 grant to use in cases like this one.

“To ensure when officers or social services respond to a call, and there is somebody in dire need of food or clothing, that they will have the resources to do so without it having to come out of pocket,” Irsik said.

The Police Foundation of Kansas City, Missouri, was formed by citizens, not the police department.

It focuses on assisting people who call Kansas City home, while working to reduce crime. It also worked to raise money to fund Kansas City, Missouri Police Department initiatives that are not fully supported by existing funding.