Cy-Fair residents Kimberly and William Colley know firsthand about the challenges that come with jobs in law enforcement. The husband-and-wife duo spent time working as emergency medical technicians and are both employed by the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s office in Northwest Houston.

When the Colleys founded the nonprofit Blue Bow Foundation in 2015 with the goal of supporting law enforcement officers in the area, the inspiration came from wanting to provide peace of mind to officers and their families, Kimberly said.

“We noticed law enforcement getting a lot of negative publicity in the media and wanted to do something to show appreciation for the men and women patrolling our neighborhood,” she said.

The nonprofit gets its name from the blue bows that Kimberly handcrafts and sells for fundraising purposes. She already had a small craft business in operation at the time she started the nonprofit so she began to spread awareness about her cause by tying her bows to large trees throughout various neighborhoods.

In addition to visual support through the display of bows, the Colleys sought to help officers on an individual level. All profits from the bows go into a fund used for a variety of purposes, including offering financial services for things like counseling, equipment and educational opportunities.

“As the need for police grows, we wanted to do what we could to make sure officers have everything they need,” Kimberly said.

Sales picked up over the first few months through word-of-mouth, but the Colleys’ cause really started to gain traction after the shooting of Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Goforth in August. In the aftermath of the shooting, hundreds of people in the Greater Houston area and beyond began looking for ways to show support for the Goforth family and for law enforcement in general, Kimberly said.

The Colleys decided to dedicate all profits from the bow sales in September of that year to the Goforth family. After making the announcement on Facebook Aug. 29—the day after the shooting—the couple returned from dinner to find 100 orders had been placed.

They ended up selling over 600 bows in September. The entire amount—$2,600—was given directly to the Goforth family, Kimberly said.

The increase in orders and encouragement from the community inspired the Colleys to take their nonprofit to the next level and pursue 501(c)(3) status.

Today, the Colleys are trying to raise awareness about what they do while continuing to sell bows. They raised $1,200 at a fundraiser for National Police Week in May and recently donated $100 to help a Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy with expenses while he is on leave for a medical procedure.

“We’re still new,” Kimberly said. “We need as much financial support from the community as possible so we can give even more to provide officers with crucial on-going support.”

The Colleys work full-time in addition to the work they put into their nonprofit. William serves as a Patrol Sergeant for the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office. Kimberly, who works in the Constable’s Records Division, also spent six years as an EMT, serving her local community.

William said their respective experiences in the field give them firsthand knowledge of the unmet needs officers often deal with. A part of what the Blue Bow team wants to do also entails helping officers cope with the more emotional aspects of the job.

“Most agencies have an Employee Assistance Program that will cover counseling visits, but we want to be able to bridge the gap for officers who need more,” William said. “We also want to work more closely with [human resources departments] to help officers learn to understand when they need counseling. We want to dispel the myth that admitting you need counseling is admitting weakness.”

The long-term dream for the Blue Bow Foundation involves garnering the support of local businesses and sports franchises, and eventually setting up chapters nationwide.

In the meantime, Kimberly said she wants community members to know the important role the foundation plays.

“We’re the hub, but the community  makes the difference,” she said.