CRESTVIEW — Santa’s helpers in blue are rallying the community to provide Christmas presents for children of local families in need.
Throughout the year, the Crestview Police Department aims to help those in need, but “at Christmastime, we especially realize many families in our community are struggling to make ends meet,” Chief Tony Taylor said.
The agency’s Cops For Kids program, a Community Policing service, provides new, unwrapped toys for children between ages 1 and 16. Community Policing Officers Wanda Hulion and Sam Kimmons, who coordinate Cops For Kids, also welcome donations of cash or new, unused, unwrapped toys. Donations may be brought to the police department.
Children’s legal guardians from families in need can apply for participation in the program. They must submit applications to the Crestview PD by Dec. 16, by mail or in person, to 201 Stillwell Blvd, Crestview.
Interested residents can obtain applications in person at the Police Department lobby window 24 hours a day at 201 Stillwell Blvd., or at city hall.
Just Crestview residents may apply. If a family received assistance through Cops For Kids last year, they are not eligible to apply this year.
Allen Turner Chevrolet’s Crestview employees chose Cops For Kids as the local benefactor of its annual community support program. Last year, the dealership’s staff donated more than $6,000 to the program, providing 15 shopping carts of gifts for 110 children in Crestview.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Donors, applicants sought for Crestview toy drive