The Grass Valley Police are entering their 20th annual caring and sharing Program designed to help less fortunate children in our community while building positive relationships between Law Enforcement, the children and their families. Officer Jim Amaral says they start by adopting families and children in the community.

“We get their wish list. Their wish list is put on a wishing tree in the front lobby of the police department, then community members are encouraged to come down to the police department, select the name of a child with their wish list, purchase those items and bring the wrapped and tagged present back to the police department.”

The children will also spend a morning at K-mart shopping with Grass Valley Police Officers or Police Department Volunteers before receiving breakfast and meeting Santa Claus, who gives them the presents purchased by community members.

“They do get to shop with a cop and they get to buy whatever they want at K-Mart within a certain amount of dollars. There’s a monetary donation that is given by many of community members and that’s kind of how this program is funded.”

Checks payable to the Grass Valley Police Officers association can be dropped off at the Grass Valley Police Station for the caring and sharing program.  The wishing tree is up in the lobby today through December 6th. December 10th is the event at Kmart.