By-Line: Joseph Bober, FCSO

Flagler County Sheriff’s Office employees and several community organizations and individuals have generously donated over $35,000 to the Flagler Sheriff’s Children Charities in support of the Agency’s annual Shop with a Cop event.

The Flagler Sheriff’s Children’s Charities is a tax-deductible 501(c)(3) charity, which was established in 2020 by Sheriff Rick Staly. FCSO employees donate to the charity each pay period through voluntary payroll deductions. In 2024, employees donated $24,200.

In addition to employee donations, the charity received donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations throughout the community, including the A Morea Group; AMVETS Post 113, AMVETS Lady’s Auxiliary 113, and Sons of AMVETS 113; the Bunnell Police Department; Christ Lutheran Church; the Douglas family; Environmental Land Services; the Flagler County Tax Collector’s Office; Hammock Hardware; JMB Quality Construction; Knights of the Inferno Firefighters Motorcycle Club; Mark Dyberg with Seniors vs. Crimes; Pioneer Guns & Ammo; Punishers Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club; and the Quantum family of businesses.

The donations support FCSO’s annual Shop with a Cop event. This year’s event will be held on Friday, December 13.

The goal of Shop with a Cop is to help children and families who are struggling and would not have a happy holiday otherwise. Children are selected to participate in the event by nominations from FCSO employees and Flagler Schools staff. Selected participants include those experiencing economic hardships, victims of domestic violence, or children who have been placed in foster care.

During the event, 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 County Sheriff’s Operations Center in Bunnell to play games and participate in other holiday activities. The children will then be escorted to Walmart Supercenter in Palm Coast in a police motorcade with lights and sirens to participate in a shopping trip. This year, thanks to the gracious donations of the FCSO employees and community organizations, each participating child will receive a $225 gift card, which will allow them 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.

A group of people, including law enforcement officers and civilians, stand together holding a large ceremonial check and a banner for Flagler Sheriff's Children's Charities Flags and an official emblem are displayed in the background

Flagler County Sheriff’s Office employees donated $24,200 to the Flagler Sheriff’s Children’s Charities in 2024.

“Shop with a Cop is an event that we look forward to every year, and it would not be possible without the gracious support of our employees and these great people and organizations in our community,” said Sheriff Staly. “I sincerely thank everyone who donated to support our mission to help children in need this holiday season. Their donations will help make this year’s Shop with a Cop our biggest event yet with 125 children shopping!”

If you would like to support the Flagler Sheriff’s Children Charities and aid in spreading holiday cheer to children in Flagler County who might not otherwise have a happy holiday, tax-deductible donations can be made through PayPal by visiting bit.ly/DonateFSCC.