More than 40 families were blessed with food for Christmas on Monday when the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 41 made its rounds.

Members of the lodge fanned out across Suffolk and Isle of Wight County to deliver boxes of food from Farm Fresh to 41 families.

This is the 21st year of the program, said lodge president Al Bremer, who is retired from the Suffolk Police Department.

“We’re helping the people in need,” he said. “The people are indigent and need food for Christmas.”

The participating families were nominated by Social Services, the Western Tidewater Community Services Board, the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office and members who knew of people in need.

Participating departments included Suffolk Police Department, Suffolk Sheriff’s Office, Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office, Alcoholic Beverage Control Police and retired personnel from several departments, including the Western Tidewater Regional Jail.

Lodge director Allan Iversen, who is retired from the Suffolk Police Department, said the lodge purchases the food from Farm Fresh, who helps look for discounts.

“A lot of the families are excited,” Iversen said. “Otherwise, they wouldn’t have food for Christmas.”

As excited as they were, however, Iversen said the lodge members might enjoy the project more.

“It’s great to be able to help them out,” he said.

Bremer said the goal of the program is just to help people out. But like the lodge’s sister program, Cops and Kids, which takes local children shopping with law enforcement officers, it helps to project a positive image of police officers.

“It makes you feel good when you can help people,” he said.