Flagler County Sheriff’s Office employees, community organizations, businesses, and individuals have combined to donate more than $40,000 to the Flagler Sheriff’s Childrens Charities to support this year’s Shop with a Cop event. The generous contributions have enabled the program to reach record-breaking numbers for both participants and spending amounts.
FCSO employees led the fundraising effort by donating $26,020 to the charity, marking the agency’s largest-ever employee contribution. Employees donate to the charity each pay period through voluntary payroll deductions.
Community support also played a significant role in reaching the fundraising goal. Donors included A Morea Group LLC, AMVETS Post 113 and AMVETS Lady’s Auxiliary 113, Bunnell Masonic Lodge No. 200 F&AM and Florida’s 11th Masonic District, Christ Lutheran Church, Dorian Carter, the Flagler County Tax Collector’s Office, Hammock Hardware, IC Solutions, Ivelise Rodriguez, Keefe Supply Co., Knights of the Inferno Firefighters Motorcycle Club, Mark Dyberg with Seniors vs. Crimes, Punishers Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, Quantum Holding Company, and Ronald Young.
Shop with a Cop is an annual event designed to help disadvantaged children experience a happy holiday season. The program serves children whose families are experiencing economic hardships, who are victims of domestic violence, or who have been placed in foster care. Children are selected to participate based on nominations from FCSO employees and Flagler Schools staff.
This year’s event will take place on December 12. Deputies and police officers from Flagler County and state law enforcement agencies will pick up children from their homes and bring them to the Flagler Sheriff’s Operations Center in Bunnell, where they will play games and participate in holiday activities. The children will then experience a police motorcade with lights and sirens as they are escorted to Walmart Supercenter in Palm Coast for a shopping trip. Each child will have the opportunity to shop for themselves and their family members. The event will conclude with a cookout featuring hot dogs, hamburgers, and holiday treats.
Thanks to the donations received, 145 children have been selected to participate this year, the most in the event’s history. Each child will receive a $275 gift card to spend during the shopping trip, also the largest amount ever provided.
Sheriff Rick Staly expressed gratitude for the community’s support. “Shop with a Cop is an amazing event that we look forward to every year. This will be our biggest event yet, and we set new and exciting marks every year because of the generous support we receive from our team and our incredible community,” Staly said. “To everyone who donated this year, big or small, I cannot thank you enough for supporting our mission to help children in need during the holidays.”
The Flagler Sheriff’s Childrens Charities is a tax-deductible 501(c)(3) charity established in 2020 by Sheriff Staly. Those who wish to support the charity and help spread holiday cheer to children in Flagler County can make tax-deductible donations through PayPal by visiting bit.ly/DonateFSCC.
