MAKING THE HOLIDAYS A LITTLE BRIGHTER

Police adopt 13 local families, deliver gifts and meals

The Auburn Hills Police Department has adopted 13 area families in need for the holiday season.

Officers delivered gifts, clothes, meals and toys to the families on Wednesday. The event was organized in lieu of the annual Shop with A Cop hosted by several local police departments at the Auburn Hills Target and Meijer on Brown Road. Shop with A Cop was canceled this year due to the coronavirus.

“Shop with a Cop is an event that we all look forward to all year. Unfortunately we couldn’t make that happen this year, but

there’s still families, probably more than past years, in our area that are struggling,” Jeff Baker, chief of police, said. “We have so many generous people in our area, so with their help, we found a way to make this Christmas a little brighter for these kids.”

Each family also received

a large red storage container packed with food to prepare a holiday meal, including frozen turkeys. The department and volunteers purchased gifts and essential items for each family based on a wish-list.

“When you ask these children what they’d like for Christmas, they say things like a jacket and shoes, the kinds of essentials that most kids just don’t think about,” Baker said. “So we wanted to be

able to fulfill their needs and also let them have a little fun by asking for wants. It’s a nice piece to the program.”

The event was sponsored by Meijer with contributions from Target, Cornerstone Community Financial Credit Union, Auburn Hills and Pontiac Oakland County Youth Assistance programs and the city of Auburn Hills. The meals were provided for the families by Costco.

PHOTOS BY NATALIE BRODA — THE OAKLAND PRESS Auburn Hills police officers unload gifts for two of 13 local families adopted by the department this holiday season.

One of two local families who received their gifts from the Auburn Hills Police Department in person at the Meijer on Brown Road.

NATALIE BRODA — THE OAKLAND PRESS Auburn Hills police, Meijer employees and two local families pose for a photo with boxes of gifts prepared by the department at the Meijer on Brown Road in the city.