A Little History
The Shop With a Cop program has come a long way since it’s inception in 1990. What started out as an effort by K-Mart to help a few kids in need during the holidays, has blossomed into an original year round effort to bring Christmas to well over a hundred children each December. In 1990, and for many years after, Anne Hunsinger along with many other K-Mart volunteers worked diligently to bring about this holiday tradition, and eventually it was Anne who introduced the program to the Salt Lake Police Association (SLPA).
Initially the SLPA became involved by becoming a major financial contributor, but in 2003 K-Mart reorganized, and at that time they decided they would drop Shop With a Cop. The number of children helped by this program and the good will it fostered between cops and kids was deemed too important to lose, so Rita Adams with the Salt Lake City police department and Darren Orr, a local businessman who had been involved with the program from the very beginning, stepped up to the plate and took on the challenge. K-mart has remained involved by continuing to host our little shoppers.
The first order of business was to create a board who would oversee the planning and fund raising throughout the year, this board now consists of Darren Orr, a local businessman; Tom Gallegos, president of the Salt Lake Police Association; and Rita Adams who is with the Salt Lake Police Department. The name was made official when it was registered with the state, and last but certainly not least, Shop With a Cop applied for and received 501(c)3 status from the IRS, making it officially a non-profit charity.
How It Works
Originally the children were referred by various social service agencies, but when the SLPA took over the program, it was decided that the referrals would come directly from area schools. However, officers will refer a child who they have encountered in their daily duties, someone they feel would benefit by participating; and occasionally a child will be referred by someone in the community, usually someone who knows about, or has participated in the program before.
When the applications are reviewed, beside economic hardship and age requirements (between four and eight years old), reviewers look for those children who may have had, or witnessed, negative contact with law enforcement officers through either a parent or sibling’s involvement with the justice system. These children are chosen in hopes that any negative connotations or fears they may have, can be replaced with something positive.
Shop With A Cop is a well oiled machine that runs on volunteerism and donations. Everyone who works on the program, from the board members right on down to the gift wrappers is a volunteer.
This year we’d like to thank our forty plus volunteer gift wrappers, they were people who had helped in the past, as well as family, friends, and church groups. As usual, we count on the Explorers who are always willing to assist the officers with their young charges or to just lend a hand wherever it’s needed. Our thanks goes out to Troy Boyt and his K-Mart employees who volunteered their time and arrived at a very early hour to get things ready for this ‘shop till you drop’ event, and a very special thanks to the volunteers we can’t do without ― our officers. This year they represented over a dozen different agencies throughout the valley.
We would also like to recognize and thank Little America-Downtown for acting as our host for the registration breakfast. Not only do they graciously provide a banquet room, but they also provide the wonderful array of breakfast goodies and keep the coffee hot for those of us who are morning challenged. We are also grateful for the support of K-Mart who continues to host our shopping spree and donates all of our wrapping necessities ― paper, tape, ribbons, and more.
Fundraising for this event is a year-round endeavor and we’d like to send a special “Thank You” to all the businesses and individuals who participate as sponsors, your donations are sincerely appreciated.
Remember … though there are many that may represent themselves as doing a shop with a cop program, there is truly only one ― the Salt Lake Police Association’s “Shop With A Cop.”