Some chose new bicycles, or the hottest video game to drop this holiday season. Others opted for school supplies, household essentials or even gifts for friends and family members.

With Christmas just weeks away, local children and their families in Naples got an early taste of the holiday spirit Dec. 1 at the 10^th annual Shop with a Sheriff co-hosted by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples.

The donor-supported shopping event pairs Collier County Sheriff’s deputies working as youth resource officers in local schools in the Golden Gate community with children from those same schools.

The nearly 80 children who participated got to build their own shopping lists and were allotted $100 for themselves or their family members. 

Participants were then treated to pizza; 200 cups of flavored ice donated by Rita’s Italian Ice; and of course, visits with Santa.

“The goal of this event is to provide an opportunity for some of these young kids who may not get to experience all the joys of Christmas that other kids get to experience,” said Lt. Neal Bohannon of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. “We’re grateful for the partnership with the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, and the families are grateful as well. We couldn’t be more excited about another year.”

The annual shopping excursions, which began in 2015, allow school-assigned deputies to build a rapport with students beyond discipline and patrolling the halls, said Jeffrey Feld, president and chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples.

“It's more than just a day of shopping with deputies,” he said. “Because of this program, there are relationships now between people who live in the community and the Sheriff’s Office. It’s been wonderful.”

About Jewish Federation of Greater Naples

The Jewish Federation of Greater Naples is the thread that runs through the fabric of the Jewish Community, its organizations and services, connecting the Jewish community. The Federation supports programs for Jewish people and the entire community in need in the greater Naples area, Israel and throughout the world, providing food for the hungry and counseling for the troubled, spearheading rescue and relief efforts for isolated Jews in distressed regions, and funding innovative Jewish educational and unity initiatives. The Federation creates a sense of community for thousands of Jewish residents in Greater Naples and its surrounding areas by creating and supporting programs to further Jewish learning, identity, pride and culture. Federation meets the challenge of providing for the needs of our Jewish brethren, wherever they may be, from young children and families to seniors. For information, visit jewishnaples.org, call 239-263-4205 or email info@jewishnaples.org.