Sheriff’s Shop With a Cop Raises Over $35,000 for Christmas Spree, Shattering records

Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) employees and several community organizations have graciously donated to the Flagler Sheriff Children’s Charities Shop With A Cop event being held on Friday, December 15, 2023, at the Palm Coast Walmart (174 Cypress Point Parkway).

Flagler Sheriff Children’s Charities is a tax-deductible 501(c)(3) charity established by Sheriff Rick Staly in 2020. The goal of Shop With A Cop is to help children and families who are struggling due to economic circumstances, victims of domestic violence or who have been placed in foster care so they have a happy holiday season.

Each pay period, FCSO employees donate to the Flagler Sheriff Children’s Charities. In 2023, FCSO employees donated a total of $24,783 to support Shop With a Cop. This donation is up from the $18,912.92 donated by FCSO employees in 2022. This year an additional $10,000 was contributed by community organizations and others.

The Shop with a Cop event will kick off with deputies and police officers from Flagler County picking up the selected children and bringing them to the Sheriff’s Operations Center to play games and participate in other holiday activities with law enforcement employees and COP volunteers. The children and deputies will then travel to Walmart, escorted by the FCSO Motors Unit with lights and sirens. This year, each participating child will receive a $200 gift card where they will have the opportunity to shop for themselves and family members. After shopping, the event will end with hot dogs and hamburgers for the children.

In addition to the donation by FCSO employees, Flagler Sheriff Children’s Charities received donations from: the Knights of the Inferno and Punishers Motorcycle Clubs, the Flagler County Tax Collector’s Office employees, the Bunnell Police Department, AMVETS of Bunnell, Pioneer Guns and Ammo, and retired FCSO Sergeant Manny Sa.

“I’m always proud of our Shop with a Cop event and I sincerely thank all of our employees and community organizations who donated to help make this year the biggest Shop with a Cop event yet,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “I encourage members of our community to support Flagler Sheriff’s Children’s Charities by making a tax-deductible donation. Our team is very excited about shopping and building positive relationships with our children. We are looking forward to watching the children get into the holiday spirit.”