The Wood County Fraternal Order of Police is again hosting its annual Cops and Kids shopping event. This is an event where police officers are paired up with children from the area and given $150 each to spend on clothing and toys.
This event is more than just shopping, it is about building positive relationships between the kids and police officers.
This year this event will be held on two separate days – Dec. 14 in Meijer in Rossford, and Dec. 21 in Meijer in Bowling Green.
About 180 kids will participate again this year. The majority of the financial support comes from the community, local businesses and local organizations.
Police officers from every jurisdiction in the area participate in this Cops and Kids event. The FOP could not achieve this without the support of the community. This event is an opportunity for law enforcement and the community to work together to make local children’s holiday season a little brighter. Each family will also be given a food box.
On a daily basis, police officers are responding to calls in Wood County. As a result, officers are in homes where they can see firsthand that a particular family could benefit from a helping hand.
On the day of the event, the officers are paired up with a child from their jurisdiction and given a cart, a gift card and sent on their way in Meijer to shop and build a positive relationship. They must first buy any needed clothing items. The remaining money can be spent on toys or whatever the kids need or want.
