Lehigh's Police Department brings holiday spirit to local families

In keeping with a tradition established 13 years ago, the Lehigh University Police Department made the holidays a little brighter for 35 children—ages 3 to 16—from 16 local families. The LUPD hosted the children and family members at a holiday breakfast, followed by a trip to a local Wal-Mart for the children to buy presents for their families. At the conclusion of the event, food baskets were distributed to the families.

Each of the children were accompanied by one of 18 LUPD officers and members of their families during the shopping spree, which lasts about an hour. Volunteers from the Wal-Mart in Lower Nazareth Township wrap the presents with supplies donated by the store. Approximately $10,000 is raised by the LUPD over the course of the year to help fund the community program.

For the past dozen years, the LUPD officers are met by a local couple, Frances and Joseph Danko of Saylorsburg, who happened to be shopping when they saw the officers with the local children at one of the first excursions. The couple introduced themselves, asked about the program, and offered to become a regular part of it. Each year, they return to purchase a bike for one of the children.

“They’re incredible people – very caring and very generous,” said LUPD Chief Ed Shupp. “I think they look forward to this program as much as we do. It’s one of the best things we do and one of the most effective programs we run to help show our commitment to local community.”

Key to the program is building relationships with the community members so that “they see us as allies, not adversaries,” Shupp said.  “We especially want the parents and the children to know that we can play a positive role in their neighborhoods, and that we are a resource to them. We want them to know that we work best when we work together.”

In addition to Wal-Mart, Shupp extended his gratitude to several local businesses that support the program, including Binney & Smith-Crayola, Ahart’s Market, Valley Builders, Sodexho, Molly’s Irish Grille, Majestic, Windish Hall, AP Houser and Quik Stitch Embroidery and Screen Printing.

Lehigh’s Shop with a Cop program is one of several programs sponsored by the Lehigh community every holiday season, including the C.O.A.C.H. program, the Community Service Office’s Holiday Hope Chest program, a winter coat drive held by the Office of International Affairs and several adopt-a-family programs held on the departmental level. This year, the #LehighGives hashtag was used to identify many of these efforts through social media on Giving Tuesday (Dec. 1).

In addition, the College of Education is working with the Lutheran Children and Family Service Refugee Resettlement Program to provide much needed winter items for refugees arriving in the Lehigh Valley. For more information, please contact Tammy Bartolet at tlp205@lehigh.edu, or at 610-758-3226.

For a story, video and photo gallery of Lehigh’s Shop with a Cop program, visit here.  A story and images can also be viewed here.