Following a successful 2023 in Cambria County, Shop with a Cop director Allyson Lonas has introduced the initiative in Blair County to provide underprivileged children with wonderful and “lasting memories.” Donors can contribute $150 to sponsor a child, who will be paired with a local police officer for a shopping experience of their choosing. Shop […]
Following a successful 2023 in Cambria County, Shop with a Cop director Allyson Lonas has introduced the initiative in Blair County to provide underprivileged children with wonderful and “lasting memories.”
Donors can contribute $150 to sponsor a child, who will be paired with a local police officer for a shopping experience of their choosing.
Shop with a Cop initiatives are commonly found in various communities throughout the commonwealth, including locations like Shippensburg, Lewistown, and Bedford.
The program in Cambria County started in 2021, with Lonas taking over as director in 2023.
As a full-time attorney based in Somerset, Lonas has witnessed numerous children facing tough home situations, motivating her to create opportunities to “bring smiles to the kids’ faces.”
“I was managing the Cambria County Shop with a Cop program and wanted to assist more children in the community, so I decided to expand and launch it in Blair County,” Lonas explained.
Lonas pointed out that many local children’s interactions with law enforcement are “often negative,” making it crucial to offer a positive experience and foster relationships with police officers through the Shop with a Cop initiative.
“They view (the police officers) as friends and individuals they can depend on, rather than as figures to fear,” Lonas stated.
The choice to hold the program during the holiday season was deliberate, as this timing enriches that essential positive experience — “to give them a sort of Christmas night and make the holiday memorable,” Lonas commented.
Even though the Blair County program is starting off on a somewhat postponed timeline, Lonas expressed her desire for the local initiative to align with the successful schedule of the Cambria County program established in prior years.
This schedule entails accepting financial contributions throughout the year, according to Lonas, to quickly identify children in need of sponsorship starting in October, with final choices made in the first half of December.
Since Shop with a Cop allocates all received funds to the sponsored children, they carefully review applications to identify recipients with the greatest need, Lonas mentioned.
The donated funds are disbursed as one $150 prepaid Walmart gift card per child for their shopping trip with the police officer.
“When you sponsor a child for $150, that entire amount goes directly to the child for their shopping with the officer,” she noted.
This marks the inaugural year for the Blair County initiative, but Lonas is already optimistic about its success.
“My aim is to take 100 kids shopping this year,” Lonas affirmed. “We never want to take fewer children shopping than the previous year.”
Thanks to a remarkable level of support from the local community, she believes the Blair County program is on track to achieve that goal.
Lonas hopes to expand the local initiative over the years to include sponsorship for more children from various school districts, as she is currently only linked with the Altoona Area School District this year.
The Altoona Police Department and the Allegheny Township Police Department have played vital roles in launching the Blair Shop with a Cop initiative, Lonas mentioned.
This achievement is largely attributed to the collaborative efforts of Sgt. Patrick Tomassetti from the Altoona Police Department and Assistant Chief Paul Mummert of Allegheny Township, she added.
Mummert stated that he has been in regular contact with Lonas and Tomassetti to coordinate diverse aspects of the program, including distributing yard signs to donors and garnering support from local businesses.
“(Lonas) approached us and expressed her desire to implement this in our county,” Mummert said. “We recognized it as a fantastic idea, so we readily supported it.”
“We’ve received an excellent response throughout the county, especially from all the businesses in Allegheny Township I’ve reached out to, and I’m pleased our local businesses and partners have agreed to join in,” Mummert stated.
According to Mummert, the objectives of Shop with a Cop are twofold.
“We wish to ensure these kids experience a Christmas they may not otherwise have. Sadly, many children and families in this area and beyond are struggling, so I’m really grateful we can make this a reality for them,” Mummert explained.
The second objective is to “help people understand what we genuinely do and how much we care about our community,” he continued.
This dedication is reflected in an officer’s daily responsibilities, Mummert stated, extending beyond merely responding to emergencies and traffic incidents.
“When I hear the term ‘cop,’ I believe it’s essential for our department to practice community-oriented policing. It’s a significant and crucial aspect because the community is the reason for our presence and the motivation behind our work,” he asserted.
Those interested can reach out to Allyson Lonas at 814-254-7151 for donation inquiries.
Mirror Staff Writer Conner Goetz can be contacted at 814-946-7535.
