The Jeffco Shop with a Cop program expanded this year and helped brighten the holiday season for more than 400 local children in need, treating them to a shopping spree last week.
That was approximately 200 more children than the organization served in 2020, when about 250 children received gifts through the program, said Festus Police Detective Sgt. Lewis Pippin, a member of the Jeffco Shop with a Cop Board of Directors.
Because of COVID-19, first responders didn’t accompany children on a shopping spree last year, but instead held drive-thru gift distribution events, Pippin said.
For this year’s event, however, first responders from 27 agencies accompanied children while they shopped for $100 worth of Christmas gifts.
The event was split into two shopping days – one on Dec. 7 at the De Soto Walmart and another on Dec. 9 at the Festus Walmart.
“It went excellent,” Pippin said. “We went shopping for closer to 425 kids. That’s our highest total. We raised about $60,000. It was easier to fundraise this year with most of the COVID restrictions lifted and the community annual host events for us returning.”
Pippin said many groups hold fund-raising events on behalf of Jeffco Shop with a Cop throughout the year.
“We want to thank our community that’s been very, very generous,” Pippin said. “The program has had such a positive impact on our area.”
During this year’s shopping trips, some Walmart customers took notice of what was happening and started contributing to the cause for next year.
“We’re there with other shoppers and when they see it taking place, the giving can spread,” he said. “We raised about $6,000 in donations from people who were shopping. We’ll use that next year.”
Pippin said it’s not uncommon for some of the youngsters who go on the shopping spree to purchase some gifts for their loved ones.
“The money is for the children. However, a lot of the children will also get gifts for Mom, Dad, siblings,” Pippin said.
Jeffco Shop with a Cop now serves children from every public school district in Jefferson County after the Northwest R-1 School District entered the program this year, he said.
Volunteers with the program contact public school officials and others to find families who could benefit from the shopping spree.
“The school counselors did a great job selecting the children,” he said. “The first-responders had a great time.
The police, fire and emergency service agencies that participated in the 2021 Jeffco Shop with a Cop program included the Crystal City, De Soto, Festus, Herculaneum, Hillsboro and Pevely police departments and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson College Police Department, the Jefferson College Law Enforcement Academy and Jefferson County 911 Dispatch; as well as the Antonia, De Soto Rural, Dunklin, Hematite, Hillsboro, Goldman, Mapaville and Jefferson R-7 fire protection districts; the Crystal City, Festus, De Soto and Herculaneum fire departments; and the Joachim-Plattin, Rock Township and Valle ambulance districts. In addition, the Dunklin R-5 School District, which has its own police department, and Survival Flight participated in the program.
Pippin said Jeffco Shop with a Cop is always raising funds for the program.
“We never stop collecting donations,” he said. “What we collect from this point will be used next year.”
To donate or for more information, visit the Jeffco Shop with a Cop Facebook page.