Ogden Police Benefit Association
COPS KIDS AND CHRISTMAS
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| In 1991 the Ogden Police Benefit Association created the Cops, Kids, and Christmas program to provide children in the Ogden community with a positive Christmas experience. The Ogden Police Benefit Association partnered with Prevent Child Abuse Utah to select kids who have not had the opportunity to have a positive Christmas experience because their families have been affected by drugs and domestic violence to the point where some of these children no longer live in their homes or as a family unit. In many of these instances police officers were involved in removing the children from their homes and placing them into the custody of child services. One of the goals of this program was to show these children that police officers are their friends and are in the community to help them in their time of need. |
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On the day of the event Santa is delivered to Shopko in the Utah Department of Public Safety’s helicopter. Officers and the children then pair up and shop using funds from the program.
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The children are able to select items for themselves for Christmas or items they wish to purchase for family members. In many instances the children pass up gifts for themselves so they are able to provide Christmas gifts for others. Officers are provided a shopping list for each child that helps with sizes and tells the officer what basic necessities the child is in need of.
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Following the shopping, volunteers wrap presents for the children so that they and family members have presents to unwrap on Christmas morning.
Cheerleaders from West Jordan High School (left), and Student Body Officers from Bonneville High School (right), volunteered to help wrap presents.
Bonneville High School Student Body Officers presents a $5,000.00 check to the Ogden Police Benefit Association.
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The children are then taken to a homemade breakfast, which is prepared by officers and their spouses. |
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This program began with 25 kids, who were given $50 with which to purchase Christmas gifts. Each year the number of children in this program has increased. This years event had 70 kids shopping with $175.
In the 15 year existence of this program 800 children from the Ogden community have been a part of this positive Christmas experience.
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A hundred years from now it will not matter what
my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in
or the kind of car I drove…..
but the world may be different because I was
important in the life of a child.
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