Nearly 100 DeKalb area children shop for holiday gifts alongside police

DeKALB – Almost 100 children and their families took to the DeKalb Target, 2555 Sycamore Road, to shop with a cop Sunday.

It was all part of the DeKalb Police Benevolent and Protective Association’s annual Heroes and Helpers program.

Officer Chris Sullivan said putting on the holiday event means a great deal to the police department.

“We get to step out of being police and we get to just focus on helping the family’s home,” Sullivan said. “I think that’s a huge thing. That’s why we get all these guys that show up on a...volunteer basis to take the kids out.”

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Officer Sorenson (right) poses for a photograph with Nicole Walker, 7, during a shopping spree Dec. 15, 2024, at DeKalb Target. Sorenson accompanied Walker during the Walker during the DeKalb Police Department's annual Heroes and Helpers event. (Megann Horstead)

The police department typically works with DeKalb School District 428 to identify the names of children that they think could benefit from participating in the program.

Throughout the year, the agency works to raise donations to support the event, organizers said.

On Sunday, each child was granted a $100 shopping trip accompanied by one of the DeKalb Police Department’s officers.

“We get to step out of being police and we get to just focus on helping the family’s home. I think that’s a huge thing.”

—  DeKalb police officer Chris Sullivan

Zinara Winslow, 8, of DeKalb, said the holidays mean a lot to her.

Winslow shopped with Detective Sgt. Sonny Streit.

“You get to have fun out with your family,” Winslow said.

Sullivan said people who participate in the program tend to have positive things to share about their experiences.

“I think that they think it’s a great program,” Sullivan said. “Anytime that kids are able to get something extra around this time of year I think is really nice. Target works with us obviously really well to help put on the program and then Raising Cane’s Chicken has done a really good job of helping us out the last couple years, too, where they give all the kids that come through, they give them a kid’s meal.”

Sullivan said it’s clear that this event evokes special meaning for many around the holidays.

“Some kids are [more] misfortunate than others, so to give a little at this time of year, I think that just helps them,” Sullivan said.