Harvest Family Life Holiday With Heroes (also known in some communities at Shop with a Cop) is a one day event that serves to:

-Provide Christmas gifts for children referred to us by DFPS or local school districts.

-Foster healthy relationships between law enforcement/first responders and children with the hope of inspiring a new generation’s interest in these careers.

-Build positive relations between the community and youth that encounter anything justice related, whether in school, the neighborhood, or social services. The nature of these interactions can have a profound life-long impression on a young person.

-Provide opportunities to connect local church members to children and families who are vulnerable to harm caused by abuse, neglect, or abandonment so they may have meaningful connections and prayerfully, lasting relationship.

-Offer children autonomy to shop for whatever they want. Youth are paired with a law enforcement officer or a first responder and a local church volunteer.

Referred children must display significant need for family preservation efforts, have undergone CPS Investigation, are enrolled in DFPS Family Based Services, or are living in kinship/fictive kin care without the help state subsidy. Each child ages 5 and older is given $100 and each child ages 4 and younger is given $50 to shop at a local partnering Walmart.