Local law enforcement officials are helping underprivileged children in Story County during the holiday season with the sixth-annual “Shop with a Cop” program, hosted by the Ames Police Benevolent Association.

Officers from the Ames Police Department, the Iowa State Department of Public Safety, the Story County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State Patrol will team up with children on Dec. 11 and travel via CyRide to the Ames Kmart, 1405 Buckeye Ave., for a morning of shopping, food and fun.

The shopping spree will begin at 7 a.m. at the Ames Community Auditorium and will conclude between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the City West Gym.

“The children are supposed to buy gifts for their whole family,” said Geoff Huff, patrol officer with the Ames Police Department and co-chairman of the event. “They can’t buy dangerous things, such as weapons, but they’re open to what they have at Kmart — CDs, clothes, etc.”

He said each officer is given a list of the names and ages of the people included in his or her child’s family to help locate the items in the shopping spree. A wish list for each family member also is included.

Sgt. Randy Kessel, Ames Police Department public information officer, said although the idea of the program is for the child to buy Christmas presents for his or her family, occasionally something for the child slips into the cart.

“Sometimes they sneak something in for themselves, so we try to stretch the funds for that,” he said.

After the shopping spree and a hot breakfast sponsored by Kmart, the children will return to the City West Gym in City Hall to wrap their presents with the help of volunteers from the Silver Satellite Chapter of the American Business Women’s Association.

Huff said the program is funded through both private and corporate donations.

“We send out informational brochures to everyone in Ames [in November] and ask for donations,” Huff said. “If they want to donate, they send the envelope back in.”

Kessel added donations are not solicited by telephone.

Huff said the total donation amount is not available, since donations still are being accepted.

All of the money will be distributed among the children participating.

“We’ve assisted over 500 children over the past five years,” Huff said. “Last year, we helped over 100. This year, we hope to help more than last year.”

Huff said the program is open to new and old participants.

“If we got a lot of new kids, we would pick them first,” he said. “If we have enough donations, we would assist more and get the kids from the past. We hope to never turn them away.”

Huff said they haven’t run into that problem yet.

“So far, we’ve helped everyone. The people in Ames are real good,” he said.

Huff said he really enjoys participating in the program.

“It feels good to help the kids who need assistance at this time of year,” he said.

“This is a way for the Police Department to give back to the community. [Plus], it’s good for the department, kids and officers who are donating their time.”

Corporate sponsors for the program include Kmart, CyRide, Hy-Vee, 3M and Stenberg Concrete Construction, Inc.

All parents are encouraged to fill out an application at the Ames Police Department for their children and return it by tonight to participate.

Those who qualify will be notified by the Police Department next week.