NBC 10 Philadlephia Coverage

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On December 8-20, 2020 with the support of the Walmart of Egg Harbor, Brick and Little Egg Harbor New Jersey along with many community partners including Ocean Inc. Community Action Agency, Police Athletic Leagues in Ocean, Atlantic and Cape may Counties, Atlantic County Toys for Kids Program, County Correction Departments and over 100 Police Officers from Atlantic, Ocean and Cape May Counties, the team brought the Shop With Cop event to over 300 needy children in Ocean, Atlantic and Cape May Counties.

Shop with a Cop is an event where uniformed police officers and volunteers assist needy children with their holiday shopping, free of charge to the child and their families. The Police Athletic League in all three counties received referrals from school districts and existing family relationships to help identify the neediest children. Through strong collaboration between these organizations, the goal was to host a total of 300 children for a morning of shopping and visiting with Law Enforcement Officers throughout the entire region and the goal was exceeded.

The event coordinated by Ocean Inc., and PAL kicked off at the All Wars Memorial Building and with full police escort as the children’s buses made its way to the Walmart stores in each respective county. The event involved law enforcement at the highest level. The Shop with a Cop Program was funded in part by Ocean Inc. through the NJDCA Community Services Block Non-Discretionary Grant.

The Shop with a Cop Program promotes social justice and positive police relationships for families as they gain the skills, knowledge and enhance their ability to engage within the community. While shopping, officers engaged in conversation with each child asking them about current trends and the child’s areas of interest while shopping and selecting their holiday gifts.

Respectively the program enriches the lives of both the police officers and the children from disadvantaged families who are least likely to experience the gift of giving from someone else or unable to receive gifts themselves due to their inability to afford them during the holidays. The program also helps these families by allowing their children to see a positive side to law enforcement as police officers establish friendly relations with both the kids and their families.

PAL Quote - “This year Shop with a Cop was a blessing to all our youth and participating in this event helped children and their families have happier holidays said PAL Police Lt. Wilber “Willie” Santiago, who heads the Neighborhood Coordination Unit in Atlantic City. “Every officer chose the child they would shop with from the ward in which they’re assigned. “Some of these officers already have a relationship with their kid because they’ve been to their house for a crisis,” Santiago said. “Now, we’re in their lives. We have a connection with them and can see them grow.”

Preliminary collaboration with local community organizations, (i.e. local law enforcement, non-profits, faith-based organizations) play a huge role in the success of the program as they understand how to promote social justice and create positive police relationships for families as they gain the skills, knowledge and enhance their ability to engage with families within their perspective communities including school districts and existing family relationships to identify the neediest children.

Professional Experience

Channell Wilkins, President/CEO of Ocean Inc.

· Ocean, Inc. Chief Executive Officer

· Palm Beach County Department of Community Services Director 

· Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington DC - Associate Commissioner/Director

Christopher Hill, Chairman of the National Police Athletic League (PAL)

Christopher Hill brings 32 years of law enforcement experience. He is currently the Chairman of the National Police Athletic League (PAL). He was deputized as a United States Marshal working with the Bureau of Investigations Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a member of the Violent Gang Task Force. He is regarded as a Gang Expert and has testified before the senate committee. Hill was the President of the Monmouth County Bias & Gang Officers Association, and a former Member of the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team.

Chris Hill's passion at PAL helps benefit future generations of residents. Hill's involvement with PAL extends beyond the borders of Howell, NJ as he is actively involved in the national organization as well. His passion is to get PAL's name out because it’s the only law enforcement involved crime prevention organization where cops and kids work together.

Hill has a strong support system behind him at PAL with a good team of people that not only directly work with him, but people that support PAL. That includes families in town, the township administration and other people that are doing it ‘because they’re all trying to save kids.’

The 1st Annual Ocean Inc., Middle Township Police Department and Progressive Black Initiative ‘Shop with a Cop’ was held yesterday at the Rio Grande Walmart Store in Cape May County. Ocean Inc. staff, members of the Progressive Black Initiative along with full representation of law enforcement from the Middle Township Police Department helped enrich the lives of 25 children from disadvantaged families who are least likely to experience the gift of giving to someone else or unable to receive gifts themselves due to the families inability to afford them during the holidays. 

Shop with a Cop is an event where uniformed police officers and members of the Progressive Black Initiative assisted needy children with their holiday shopping, free of charge to the child and their families. Throughout the shopping spree, both the officers and a member of the Progressive Black Initiative were paired with each child, pre-scanned and calculated their assigned child’s order to ensure they were within $150 before proceeding to the checkout. 

Shop with a Cop is not just about taking the children shopping, it's a fun filled day for a number of kids during the holidays while creating a bond with local police officers. While shopping, officers engaged in conversation with each child while shopping and selecting their holiday gifts. Once at the register, Ocean Inc. presented each child’s family/guardian with a $50 Shoprite Gift Card to assist with food insecurities. 

“This is an event that Ocean Inc. was able to put together that involves law enforcement at the highest level” said Channell Wilkins, Ocean Inc. President/CEO. “The Shop with a Cop Program in Cape May County was funded by Ocean Inc. through the NJDCA Community Services Block Grant.” 

Over the holiday season, Ocean Inc. provided the ‘Shop with a Cop’ Program in three (3) New Jersey counties including Atlantic, Ocean and Cape May promoting social justice and positive police relationships for families as they gain the skills, knowledge and enhance their ability to engage within the community. A special "Thank You” to all community partners and volunteers who assisted in this effort.