A Morning of Fun and Giving at the 2024 “Shop with a Cop” Kona Event
A Morning of Fun and Giving at the 2024 "Shop with a Cop" Kona Event
Catholic Charities Hawai‘i partnered with the Hawai‘i Police Department for the annual Shop with a Cop holiday program at the Kona Walmart. This heartwarming tradition brought joy to 50 keiki and celebrated its 30th year of fostering connections between law enforcement and the community.
This year’s event was supported by over 30 law enforcement officers, including representatives from the Hawai‘i Police Department, Hawai‘i State Sheriff’s Department, Department of Land and Natural Resources (DOCARE), Rangers from the National Park Service, and the Hawai‘i Air National Guard. Together, they created an unforgettable experience for the children and their families.
Children were paired with an officer of their choice to shop with a $100 Walmart gift card. Before hitting the aisles, the keiki enjoyed activities such as:
- Exploring police vehicles and hearing the sirens.
- Visiting with Santa.
- Creating keiki IDs with the Community Police Officers.
After their shopping spree, children received goody bags, a McDonald’s Happy Meal with a juice box, and had their gifts wrapped by volunteers from Kids Matter Hawai‘i.
Shop with a Cop wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support from community organizations and volunteers:
- Walmart: Hosted the event and provided dedicated check stands.
- Kids Matter Hawai‘i: Gift-wrapped presents and contributed to the gift cards.
- Paying It Forward: Helped with Walmart gift cards and covered overages at checkout. Officers also generously contributed from their own pockets.
- McDonald’s: Donated Happy Meals and juice boxes.
- Starbucks: Provided coffee for officers and volunteers.
- Denny’s: Supplied breakfast sandwiches for officers and volunteers.
Mahalo to all the officers, volunteers, and organizations who made this year’s Shop with a Cop a resounding success. Together, we shared the spirit of aloha and brightened the holidays for Hawai‘i’s keiki.
