Some families in Fayette County don’t have much of a Christmas to look forward to, and that’s where the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help.
The department’s “Shop with a Sheriff” program is seeking monetary donations to help provide such families with a fantastic Christmas thanks to a special shopping trip for a number of local youth.
Paired with a uniformed sheriff’s deputy, each child will be buying essentials such as heavy jackets, clothes, shoes, backpacks and the like, said organizer and sheriff’s detective Josh Shelton.
The kids will also get a chance to get some fun items for themselves and their siblings.
“You’ve got to remind them up front that they need to focus on what they want,” Shelton said. “Often times they are too busy trying to buy for their siblings and their parents to make sure they have a good Christmas.”
One of the families chosen to participate this year can’t afford heavy jackets for their kids, so they have to pile on several layers of lighter jackets, Shelton said. The kids, however, don’t complain and are very grateful for what they have, he added.
The goal this year is to raise $15,000 for the effort, which is in its fifth year, Shelton said. Because the organization is now a 501(c)3 non-profit, all donations are tax deductible, he added.
Last year, Shop with a Sheriff helped 39 children and their families. This year the program will help its 100th child.
Because of the nature of law enforcement, deputies encounter families who need help on a daily basis, Shelton said. Shop with a Sheriff allows those children to see deputies in a different, more positive light, he said.
Participation is also a special experience for the deputies, too, Shelton added.
“Every year I’m consistently told this makes their holiday season,” Shelton said, noting that the participating families are extremely grateful.
Participating families are referred to the program by elementary school counselors, and they are screened by sheriff’s officials prior to being selected to insure the donations are used wisely, organizers said.
Donations can be made online at www.shopwithasheriff.com or mailed to Shop with a Sheriff at P.O. Box 143606, Fayetteville, Ga., 30214.
Shelton said there is also a Facebook page for the effort at www.facebook.com/shopwithasheriff, and he is hoping to build up “likes” for the page.
This is Fayette County’s fifth year of operation with the Shop with a Sheriff program.
