LYNNWOOD — A little boy reached up to hold the hand of a tall Lynnwood police officer in a shopping aisle of a department store Thursday night.
The child wasn’t lost or in trouble. He was Christmas shopping.
About two dozen kids and nearly 20 moms wandered around Fred Meyer during the fourth annual “Shop with a Cop” program sponsored by the Lynnwood Police Department.
“It’s awesome,” said Genie Jorgensen, 30, who came to shop with her son, Keynin. He turns a year old later this month.
The single mom, who until recently lived in a shelter, came to the event expecting a police officer to baby-sit for a couple of hours.
She didn’t know that she’d also receive a $100 gift card to fill a shopping basket.
“It’s really amazing,” Jorgensen said.
She found a warm jacket for Keynin, who until Thursday went outside without a coat, a pull-behind dog toy and a book that reads aloud when the page is turned.
“Love that,” Keynin’s mom said.
While she shopped, officer Frazer Kennedy watched her toddler.
Typically, people aren’t pleased to meet Kennedy, a traffic officer who spends most days writing tickets. On Thursday, he was greeted with smiles.
“The parents are happy to see us,” Kennedy said.
The program is a way for the community and the police to help at-risk families during the holidays, Lynnwood police spokeswoman Shannon Sessions said. All the families in this year’s event are staying at a YMCA home for victims of domestic violence.
Each summer, police sponsor a giant garage sale to raise money for the program. This year, $4,000 in donations were collected.
At the holidays, the donations are divided up and families in need get a boost.
It’s also a time to foster fellowship between police and children who may not always see the cops as good guys, Sessions said. Too often, young children in at-risk homes see police during scary times, when dad or mom get in trouble. The shopping event is designed to leave the kids with better impressions.
Kaylie Olson, 3, was more than pleased with officer Jackie Hudson. Together they found an aisle of Elmo toys, and, even better, toys from floor to ceiling that were all pink.
Hudson helped the girl pick out a handful of gifts for herself, including a Barbie dressed in an elegant blue gown.
“She picked out tons of really good stuff,” Hudson said.
Kneeling down to talk to Kaylie, the officer said, “Let’s go play with it.”
Kaylie’s mom, Alisha, 25, said if it wasn’t for the generosity of Thursday night’s shopping spree, she could not have afforded much for Christmas.
“My budget is so tight this year,” she said.
She used all her money to buy Kaylie gifts to open on Christmas morning.
“That’s my pleasure,” Olson said. “It makes me feel very happy.”
She said she appreciated the police taking time out to make the night special for her.
“They risk their lives everyday for us,” she said. “I wish there was something I could give back.”
Reporter Jackson Holtz: 425-339-3437, jholtz@heraldnet.com.
You can help
Lynnwood Police Department’s annual “Shop with a Cop” event provides a time for at-risk families to buy Christmas gifts or necessities. The program is paid for by donations from the community. All additional donations to this year’s “Shop with a Cop” event will be given to the families of the Lakewood Police officers who were killed last month. Donations can be mailed to “Shop with a Cop,” Lynnwood Police, 19321 44th Avenue W, Lynnwood, WA, 98036.
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