WATERLOO -- Some 20 needy families are getting holiday meals and gift baskets courtesy of the men and women behind the badge.

On Thursday night, deputies with the Black Hawk County Sheriff's Office delivered presents and other goodies to 10 families.

It was part of a ritual that has played out every December for several years.

And in the upcoming weekend, another 10 families will get visits from reserve officers with the Waterloo Police Department.

This is the first year in recent memory for the reserve police officers to spread holiday joy, and they plan to make it an annual fixture of the season.

"We were looking at some ways to give back to the community a little more than we do, and this came up," said Jim Scott, captain for the police department's reserve unit.

The group was involved in something similar years ago, he said.

Armed with a list of families provided by the Salvation Army, the officers hit the supermarket Thursday to fill up shopping carts for Christmas meals. Each will get a ham and a pie along with potatoes, rolls and vegetables, Scott said.

"A lot of the families that are less fortunate, that's one of the last things that they do for themselves, and if we can give them the ability to have that little family thing, it's going to mean a lot," Scott said.

Funds for the food came from money the reserve unit receives for working special events and donations from Qwest.

Gift baskets from the deputies included clothing for the children and a few toys.

Deputy Tony Thompson said they pride themselves on getting some of the gifts that parents might not otherwise be able to afford.

That doesn't mean a $300 video game system, but something like a "Harry Potter" DVD is closer to the mark.

Thompson scanned through some of the wish lists the deputies received.

Transformers were on one, Pokemon items on another.

"Every year Barbies are popular," Thompson said.

He was impressed by requests for "non-commercial" gifts like drawing paper, diaries and art supplies. The officers also like to include family-oriented board games.

Two boxes of food prepared by the Moose Lodge in Washburn accompanied each gift basket. The deputies' program was sponsored by the Black Hawk Law Enforcement Association, which includes deputies, and civilian employees at the sheriff's office and emergency dispatchers.

Contact Jeff Reinitz at (319) 291-1578 or jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com.