Savannah Police brightened the holidays for a dozen local families on the shortest day of the year with their annual “Shop with a Cop” event, treating children to Christmas shopping sprees at no cost to their families.
“It’s probably one of our more exciting days of the year,” said Assistant Savannah Police Chief Robert Gavin. “We have a bunch of families we’re giving some help to at this time to make sure everyone has a good Christmas.”
Officers partnered with families in need, allowing children to pick out their favorite toys and essentials, with a $150 limit per child.
“Today means everything, honestly,” said Michael Henderson, a community resource officer. “It just shows them that, hey, we’re not all bad—we actually care.”
While many children gravitated toward toys, officers noted some also selected basic necessities to take home.
Jennifer Williams, one of the participating parents, said watching her children Joseph and Ian fill their carts was unforgettable.
“My favorite part today was just seeing the excitement on their faces,” Williams said. “Just walking into the store and being excited, kinda getting overwhelmed—not knowing what to pick up. And at the end, they’re happy.”