Police lieutenant helps children in Peru

An NYPD lieutenant is really one of New York's Finest, even when she is not on duty. Linda Schmidt shows how she is using her personal time to help children in need. Lt. Alison Esposito used her vacation time for much more than a vacation. It was an opportunity for her to change the lives of impoverished children. She used her personal time to hike 4 days on the Inca Trail in Peru. The trek raised money to pay for life-altering cleft palate and lip surgeries for children in Peru.

Alison met several of the families whose children were undergoing the corrective surgery. She carried the children into the operating room and was able to watch the surgeries. Alison participated through the Smile Network, a nonprofit international humanitarian organization based in Minneapolis. It has been operating in developing countries for 12 years. Medical teams donate their time and talents. Volunteers like Alison raise money to pay for the $500 surgeries.