Connecticut Law Enforcement and The REACH Foundation join forces to strengthen their community outreach while helping families with financial hardship. Over 250 participants at three Connecticut Target locations will shop for their loved ones and community this holiday season. Police are paired with Connecticut children to assist with the child’s shopping list. Over 30 Connecticut State Troopers are set to participate in Shop with a Cop. Shop with a Cop is a program that provides a unique holiday experience for underprivileged children during the holiday season. Each child is paired with a participating law enforcement officer where the child shops for their families, and the Law Enforcement Officers shop for a child from the community where they serve. The program begins with a ‘meet and greet’ over dinner followed by a procession of police cruisers, with flashing lights and sirens, to the shopping location. Once they arrive, the children are paired back up with their officer and begin their one on one shopping experience.
Santa, and some local and national celebrities, will be there as well walking around offering secret information to the young shoppers as they pick presents out for their family. Once finished, the children receive a goodie bag and get their pictures taken with their officer, Santa and Mark Wilson, a co- founder of The REACH Foundation. The REACH Foundation was able to provide this opportunity to 50 children the first year in 2013 with over 50 officers participating. In 2014, efforts doubled as Connecticut communities rallied to help fund the opportunity to provide for over 100 children with over 100 participating officers at 2 locations. This program has been so well received, and the need so great that REACH has increased their efforts and expanded their 2015 event to add a third location. The REACH Foundation created this program to help strengthen the relationships between at risk youth and law enforcement in their communities, while providing a special holiday experience for children in need. Law Enforcement is typically looked upon negatively in their communities and The REACH Foundation is optimistic that Shop with a Cop will help these kids realize that the police can be a resource for them. This event is done in hopes that it will deter even one child from choosing a life of crime or violence. The participating children are identified by schools, youth organizations, social service agencies, outreach programs, and service providers. http://thereachfoundation.org/page/shop-with-a-cop
Locations and Dates:
MILFORD December 1, 2015
MEET & GREET HOST LOCATION 4pm
Bowlmor-AMF, Milford Lanes #326 1717 Boston Post Rd, Milford, CT 06460 SHOPPING HOST – Target 6pm 1191 Boston Post Rd, Milford, CT 06460-2763