Annual Christmas shopping event, Mount Pleasant police taking children shopping on Friday with lunch included

Mount Pleasant, SC – Lowcountry police departments are once again showing their dedication in connecting with the local community.

This time, Mount Pleasant police officers are set to take Charleston County students shopping as a part of the annual Christmas shopping event.

They work closely with school resource officers and guidance counselors to identify students they feel are most deserving.

According to Mount Pleasant Police Public Information Officer Don Calabrese, the event is something that the department is looking for continue in the future. The police department says they have been doing the Annual Christmas shopping event for nearly 10 years now.

“It’s a great opportunity for the kids to connect with us in a different way because so many times when they see an officer it’s on a call or a traffic stop or a situation that’s not going right,” Calabrese said. “So this shows the officers in a different light, gets them to be a little bit more personable, and let’s the kids know that we’re here for them.”

As per today’s program, officers took 16 students from the Charleston County schools at around 11 a.m. directly from the school. Officers first take kids for a lunch at Chick-fil-A and then take them to Walmart to go shopping.

Walmart is also partnering in the event and they granted vouchers to the department for the shopping spree. Officials with Walmart confirmed that the children chosen by the local school district can shop whatever they want for Christmas from their stores with the help of the officers.

“It was interesting to see what they shop for because some kids are shopping for their brothers or sisters or mom and are a little reluctant to get their own things,” Calabrese.

The event is something that should continue in the future as officers from various units in the department are taking place. Calabrese believe that this kind of collaboration between the department and the CCSD is amazing opportunity to mentor children in the community.

Due to the pandemic, last year’s event took was modified. But this year, the program runs in full swing and is even improved compared to previous years.