MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida organization and officers came together for a good cause.
Officers with the Miami-Dade Corrections Department paired up with children for their third annual Shop with a Correctional Officer event at Walmart.
The event is part of a nationwide law enforcement tradition that pairs officers with disadvantaged children to shop for Christmas presents.
“We’re here to partner with Walmart, and also Citrus Family Care Network, to take 15 deserving young kids shopping, Christmas shopping,” said Miami-Dade Corrections Department Director Daniel Junior. “We’re taking them on this 45-minute shopping spree, letting them pick whatever toys they want. Here, I have my little buddy Elijah here with me. He has his eyes dead set on this Batman bicycle, and if I don’t find it, we’re all going to be in trouble. It’s going to be over really soon.”
Each child came from the Citrus Family Care Network.
It also gave them a chance to bond with the officers as they shopped together.
“They called us wanting to give back to our children in care, so these kids come in through abusive backgrounds, through DCF custody, and they’re placed with us, and we find them a home,” said Citrus Family Care Network Recruitment Specialist Alicia Curtis. “These kids are so excited to be here. They are extremely happy. As you can see, there’s smiling, there’s laughing. We’re just really in the holiday spirit, and we’re just so happy that Miami-Dade Corrections chose our organization.”
The non-profit also recruited foster parents at the event.
The organization has over 1,200 children in foster care throughout Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
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