- December 17, 2024
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Christmas has come for 125 children from struggling Flagler County families thanks to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office Shop with a Cop.
FCSO and other law enforcement deputies, officers and employees were each assigned a child and given a $225 gift card for their child to spend at Palm Coast's Walmart Supercenter on gifts for themselves their families. The gift card money was raised through FCSO employees, community organizations and individuals donated over $35,000 to the Flagler Sheriff’s Childrens Charities for the event, a FCSO press release said.
FCSO employees alone donated $24,200 through voluntary payroll deductions in 2024. Sheriff Rick Staly thanked everyone who donated to help support the county's children in need.
“Shop with a Cop is an event that we look forward to every year, and it would not be possible without the gracious support of our employees and these great people and organizations in our community,” Staly said.
On Friday, Dec. 13, law enforcement officers and employees picked up the children enrolled for Shop with a Cop from their homes and brought them to the FCSO Operations Center for holiday-themed games and fun, including the opportunity to meet Santa Claus and the Grinch. Afterwards, law enforcement officers escorted the children across town to the store in a police motorcade to begin Christmas shopping.
The goal of Shop with a Cop is to help children and families who are struggling and experiencing situations like economic hardships, victims of domestic violence or are children who have been placed in foster care, the press release said. FCSO employees and Flagler Schools staff nominate children to participate in event.
The Flagler Sheriff’s Childrens Charities also received donations for Shop with a Cop from the following organizations and businesses, the press release said: the A Morea Group; AMVETS Post 113, AMVETS Lady’s Auxiliary 113, and Sons of AMVETS 113; the Bunnell Police Department; Christ Lutheran Church; the Douglas family; Environmental Land Services; the Flagler County Tax Collector’s Office; Hammock Hardware; JMB Quality Construction; Knights of the Inferno Firefighters Motorcycle Club; Mark Dyberg with Seniors vs. Crimes; Pioneer Guns & Ammo; Punishers Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club; and the Quantum family of businesses.