Sheriff’s Employees and Residents Donate over $40,000 to Support 2025 Shop with a Cop

Flagler County Sheriff’s Office employees, community organizations, businesses, and individuals have combined to generously donate over $40,000 to the Flagler Sheriff’s Childrens Charities to support the agency’s annual Shop with a Cop event.

This year, FCSO employees donated $26,020 to the charity — the agency’s largest-ever donation. Employees donate to the charity each pay period through voluntary payroll deductions.

In addition to employee donations, the charity received donations from several community organizations, businesses, and individuals. Those who donated include A Morea Group LLC, AMVETS Post 113 and AMVETS Lady’s Auxiliary 113, Bunnell Masonic Lodge No. 200 F&AM and Florida’s 11th Masonic District, Christ Lutheran Church, Dorian Carter, the Flagler County Tax Collector’s Office, Hammock Hardware, IC Solutions, Ivelise Rodriguez, Keefe Supply Co., Knights of the Inferno Firefighters Motorcycle Club, Mark Dyberg with Seniors vs. Crimes, Punishers Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, Quantum Holding Company, and Ronald Young.

Shop with a Cop is an annual event to help disadvantaged children — such as those whose families are experiencing economic hardships, who are victims of domestic violence, or who have been placed in foster care — experience a happy holiday. Children are selected to participate in the event by nominations from FCSO employees and Flagler Schools staff.

During the event, which will be held on Dec. 12, deputies and police officers from Flagler County and state law enforcement agencies will pick up children from their homes and bring them to the Flagler Sheriff’s Operations Center in Bunnell to play games and participate in other holiday activities. The children then get to experience a police motorcade with lights and sirens as they are escorted to Walmart Supercenter in Palm Coast to participate in a shopping trip, which will give them the opportunity to shop for themselves and their family members. After shopping, the event will end with a cookout featuring hot dogs, hamburgers, and holiday treats for the children.

This year, thanks to the gracious donations of the FCSO employees and community organizations, 145 children have been selected to participate — the most in the event’s history. Additionally, each child will receive a $275 gift card to spend during the shopping trip — the largest amount in the event’s history.

“Shop with a Cop is an amazing event that we look forward to every year. This will be our biggest event yet, and we set new and exciting marks every year because of the generous support we receive from our team and our incredible community,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “To everyone who donated this year, big or small, I cannot thank you enough for supporting our mission to help children in need during the holidays.”

The Flagler Sheriff’s Childrens Charities is a tax-deductible 501(c)(3) charity, which was established in 2020 by Sheriff Staly. If you would like to support the charity and aid in spreading holiday cheer to children in Flagler County, tax-deductible donations may be made through PayPal by visiting bit.ly/DonateFSCC.