By Sadie Hunter
The 19th annual Shop with a Cop program, led by the Noblesville Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 198, was held Dec. 3 at Meijer in Noblesville. The initiative provides underprivileged children in Noblesville and Noblesville Township with warm clothing to help them get through the winter months.
NPD Cpt. Jon Williams, who has coordinated the program each year since it began, said the Shop with a Cop participants – infants to 16 year olds – come from a holiday assistance list given to the Noblesville FOP by Nancy Chance, executive director of the Good Samaritan Network of Hamilton County, or from the recommendations of police officers.
This year, the event assisted 76 children.
“It’s an opportunity to see in real time a positive impact in the community,” Williams stated in a press release. “All of the officers have been called to negative situations. We like to think as police officers that in the larger scheme, we are making the world a better place. For this one- to two-hour time frame, you are making a difference that lasts a lot longer than this singular event.”
The children selected to participate in the program went shopping with their parent/guardian and a uniformed Noblesville police officer to pick out winter clothes, including coats, gloves, shirts, pants, boots, underwear and pajamas. Because the event is held before the holidays, each child is given the opportunity to select a toy as well.
FOP Lodge President Sgt. Jamie Aloisio said 19 officers and 15 family members assisted with the event.
“The turnout has been great. Officers see it as another way to give back to the community,” Aloisio stated in a press release. “It’s also been great for our families to see us interact with the public. So many shoppers have come up and thanked us for our service. We have such a supportive community, and it’s wonderful that our families can see that since they aren’t with us every day.”
Those who would like to donate to future Shop with a Cop events are asked to make checks payable to “NFOP Lodge #198” and write “Shop with a Cop” in the check’s memo line. Checks should be mailed to: Shop With A Cop; Noblesville FOP 198; P.O. Box 2013; Noblesville, IN 46061-2013. Please note that donations to this program are tax deductible as a charitable contribution, and 100 percent of the money raised goes toward supporting the program. For more, contact Cpt. Jon Williams at 317-770-5754 or [email protected] or Sgt. Jamie Aloisio at [email protected].
