Across the country, agencies run toy drives and holiday shopping events for kids. How these programs work, how families can get involved and how to help.
Every December, in parking lots and big-box stores across the country, something heartwarming happens: children walk the aisles with police officers, deputies, firefighters or investigators, choosing gifts for themselves and their families. Elsewhere, agencies collect donated toys at stations, coordinate with charities and deliver gifts to families who might otherwise go without.
These holiday programs, often called Shop with a Cop, Shop with a Hero or similar names, are among the most visible ways public safety agencies connect with communities. This article explains how these programs typically work, why they matter and how families, businesses and individuals can take part. Program details vary widely by community, so check with your local agency.
How shopping programs work
In a typical shopping program:
- An agency, often with a nonprofit partner, raises funds through donations and community events.
- Children are identified, frequently through schools, social service agencies or community organizations, based on need or circumstances.
- On event day, each child is paired with an officer or volunteer.
- Together they shop with a set budget, often choosing gifts for family members as well as themselves.
- Many events include breakfast, a visit from Santa, gift wrapping and photos.
The pairing is the heart of the program. For many children, it is a positive one-on-one experience with someone in public safety.
How toy drives work
Toy drives collect new, unwrapped toys and distribute them to families in need. Agencies may run their own drives or partner with established programs such as those run by charitable and service organizations. Collection boxes appear in stations, businesses and community centers, and gifts are distributed through referral programs or community events.
Why these programs matter
Holiday programs provide gifts to children who might otherwise go without. They also:
- Build trust between public safety agencies and communities
- Give children positive experiences with officers and first responders
- Bring businesses, volunteers and agencies together
- Offer officers and staff meaningful ways to give back
Many participating officers describe these events as highlights of their year.
Who participates
Programs vary, but participants may include:
- Children from families facing financial hardship
- Children who have experienced crime or crisis
- Children in foster care
- Children of fallen or injured first responders
- Children identified by school counselors
Referrals often come through schools and social service partners, which helps protect privacy and direct help where it is needed.
How families can get help
Families who would like help at the holidays can contact:
- Their child’s school counselor
- Local social service agencies
- Community nonprofits and faith organizations
- The community outreach office of their local police or sheriff’s department
Sign-up deadlines are often in the fall, so reaching out early helps.
How to help
Donate
Many programs accept monetary donations, which allow organizers to buy what children need. Toy drives accept new, unwrapped toys. Check what items are most needed; gifts for older kids and teens are often in short supply.
Volunteer
Programs need volunteers for wrapping, sorting, transporting and events. Some programs welcome community members as shopping partners.
Host a collection
Businesses, schools and offices can host collection boxes or fundraising events.
Spread the word
Sharing information about programs helps families who need assistance find it.
Starting a program
Agencies considering a new program often start small: partnering with one store, one school and a modest number of children. Key steps include identifying a nonprofit partner to handle donations, setting a budget per child, recruiting volunteers, establishing a referral process, planning logistics and following agency policies on fundraising and community events.
Respecting dignity
Good programs are designed to protect children’s dignity and privacy. Children should feel like honored guests, not charity cases. Organizers often avoid publicizing children’s names or circumstances, and photos are taken only with appropriate permission.
Beyond December
Some agencies extend the spirit of these programs through the year: back-to-school supply drives, summer camps, mentoring and youth sports. Relationships built at the holidays can continue year-round.
Common questions
Are these programs only for low-income families?
Many focus on financial need, but some include children affected by crime, crisis or loss. Criteria vary.
Can I donate used toys?
Most toy drives ask for new, unwrapped toys for safety and dignity.
How are children chosen?
Usually through referrals from schools and service organizations.
What a shopping day can look like
For a sense of the experience, here is a typical fictional event day:
- 7:30 a.m.: volunteers and officers arrive at the store, receive their pairings and a short briefing on budgets, checkout procedures and photo permissions.
- 8:00 a.m.: children and their families arrive, often by bus or with escorts from partner organizations, for breakfast and a meet-and-greet.
- 8:45 a.m.: each child is introduced to their shopping partner. Some programs arrive with lights and sirens or a short parade, which children love.
- 9:00 a.m.: shopping begins. Partners help children stay within budget and gently encourage them to think about what they need, such as a warm coat, as well as what they want.
- 10:30 a.m.: checkout, followed by gift wrapping stations staffed by volunteers.
- 11:30 a.m.: a visit from Santa, photos for families who want them and goodbyes.
Many officers say the most moving moment is when a child spends much of their budget on gifts for siblings or parents rather than themselves.
Partnering with businesses
Retailers often play a major role, providing discounts, extra staff, space for breakfast and quick checkout lines. Local restaurants may donate meals, and businesses frequently sponsor children. For businesses, participation is a meaningful way to support the community and employees often volunteer as well. Organizers usually confirm arrangements months in advance, especially during the busiest shopping weeks of the year.
Volunteering tips
- Sign up early; slots fill quickly
- Complete any required background checks or training
- Follow program rules about photos and personal information
- Let the child lead, within the budget
- Bring patience and a sense of humor
- Thank the families and fellow volunteers
Giving that fits your budget
Not everyone can sponsor a child or donate a large gift. Smaller contributions matter too: a single new toy in a collection box, a few dollars toward a program, an hour of wrapping or sharing a program’s sign-up information with families who may benefit. Many programs depend on hundreds of small gifts rather than a few large ones.
Remembering families who serve
Some programs specifically support the families of public safety members who have died or been seriously injured in the line of duty. Holidays can be especially difficult for these families. Agencies, unions and foundations often organize gifts, visits and gatherings, and community members can sometimes contribute through established charities.
Why the relationship lasts
Officers who participate in these programs often stay in touch with families through community events, school visits and youth programs. For a child, having a friendly face in uniform who remembers their name can make a lasting impression. For the officer, those connections are a reminder of why the work matters.
Teens and older kids
Most toy drives receive far more gifts for young children than for teenagers, yet teens in need also benefit from holiday help. Donors can make a difference by choosing gifts for older kids: gift cards, headphones, sports equipment, art supplies, books, warm clothing, toiletry sets or bags for school. Some shopping programs pair teens with officers too, and organizers often say these older participants are especially appreciative of being included.
Safety and trust
Well-run programs follow clear safeguards: background checks for volunteers, supervision during events, policies about photographs and contact with children, and secure handling of family information. These protections help families feel confident participating and protect volunteers as well. Anyone organizing an event should review agency policies and work with experienced nonprofit partners.
Measuring success
Organizers often track the number of children served, volunteers involved and funds raised, but the most meaningful measures are harder to count: a child’s smile, a parent’s relief, a new connection between an officer and a family. Collecting brief feedback from participating families and volunteers each year helps programs improve and tells donors what their support accomplished.
Thanking donors and volunteers
Programs depend on goodwill that has to be renewed every year. Thank-you notes, a short summary of what was accomplished, recognition for business partners and an invitation to next year’s event help keep donors and volunteers engaged. Children’s drawings or anonymous thank-you cards, shared with permission, can be especially moving for supporters. Gratitude is one of the simplest ways to make sure the program grows rather than shrinks over time.
Many programs also invite past volunteers to help plan the next event, which keeps experience in the program and makes each year run more smoothly than the last.
A letter for every child
Not every child can be part of a shopping event, but every child can receive something personal. A letter from Santa that mentions their name, their year and the things that make them special costs nothing and can mean a great deal. Organizers, volunteers, foster parents and families can create free personalized letters at FreePersonalizedLettersFromSanta.com, written from the details they share, to add a little more magic to a child’s holiday.
General information for families. If a child or parent is struggling, a pediatrician, school counselor or mental health professional can help.