BELTON, Texas (KXXV) — Every Wednesday and sometimes Mondays inside the Belton Police Department, a quiet but powerful effort is underway. Volunteers sit down, pick up a list of names, and begin a simple routine: asking “Are you okay?”
Watch Josh talk to leaders about how the program works:
That question forms the heart of Belton’s RU OK? Program, an outreach initiative that’s been running since 2013. According to Police Chief Larry Berg, it’s been directly responsible for saving at least 17 lives.
“We have a group of volunteers that just have a passion for helping people and serving the community,” Berg said. “It’s really impressive to know there’s a system that works—and it’s saving lives.”
The program began under former Chief Gene Ellis, inspired by a call in which officers found an elderly woman who had passed away and gone unnoticed for weeks. That heartbreaking moment sparked action, and the city created a check-in system to make sure seniors would never be left unseen again.
Bringing Sunshine Through the Phone
One of the program’s most dedicated voices is Anita Wyatt, a New York native who moved to Belton over a decade ago. After completing the Belton Citizens Police Academy in 2011, she joined the RU OK? team when it launched.
Wyatt says the bonds she’s formed with call recipients are deep and lasting.
“One woman told me, ‘Every time I get a call from you or the volunteers, it feels like I’m getting a hug,’” Wyatt shared. “They’ve said this is a program they never realized they needed—but now they can’t imagine life without it.”
For many seniors, RU OK? calls provide the only voice they hear all week. Some volunteers go beyond check-ins, mailing birthday cards or even treats to seniors with pets.
More Than Just a Wellness Call
While it functions as a safety net, the RU OK? program also serves as a community-building tool, offering new officers the chance to connect with residents in a low-pressure, meaningful way.
If a volunteer is unable to reach someone, the Belton PD dispatches an officer for a wellness check—and in many cases, those follow-ups have made the difference between life and tragedy.
The program has even led to the creation of Silver Santa, a holiday companion initiative where volunteers deliver care packages, and often find themselves as the only visitor some seniors see that year.
“You realize just how many people are going through life unseen,” Chief Berg noted. “This is about reminding them that someone’s looking out for them.”
Currently, the department places between 90 to 120 calls each Wednesday, with a few volunteers making extra rounds earlier in the week. For Wyatt, every phone call is a step toward making someone feel safe, remembered, and valued.
“I feel like we’re bringing just a little sunshine into someone’s life with every call,” she said. “I just wish this program could be everywhere.”
