Hundreds of Rhode Island Children and Teens to Benefit from 10th Annual Kids, Cops and Christmas Campaign
Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and
Director of the Department of Public Safety, announces that thousands of dollars in
toys and gift cards were collected during this year’s Kids, Cops and Christmas
campaign.
Major Christopher Dicomitis, who oversees the campaign, said this is the 10th year
that Rhode Island State Police has teamed with the Rhode Island Department of Public
Safety, the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association, the Rhode Island Department of
Attorney General, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Rhode Island and other federal,
state and local law enforcement agencies to collect toys and gift cards for
deserving families.
«We are grateful to the many individuals and local corporations who generously
donated to this year’s Kids, Cops and Christmas campaign, which will make the
Christmas holiday a little brighter for hundreds of children and families throughout
Rhode Island,» Major Dicomitis said.
Colonel Assumpico and Major Dicomitis, along with representatives from other state,
federal and local law enforcement agencies, held a news conference today at the
Elizabeth Baldwin School in Pawtucket to announce the results of the campaign and to
thank the corporate sponsors: Cardi’s Furniture and Mattresses; CVS Caremark;
Hasbro; Ocean State Job Lot; Toys ‘R’ Us; and Walgreens.
Major Dicomitis also recognized Benny’s Home and Auto, which has been a major
contributor to the Kids, Cops and Christmas and Kids, Cops and Classrooms programs
over the past 10 years. He thanked the owners, Arnold and Sam Bromberg, and wished
them well in their retirement.
In addition, Major Dicomitis thanked the many Rhode Islanders who generously donated
toys and gift cards over the past month, both by filling cruisers during the Holiday
Tree Lighting Ceremony at the State House and during a Fill-a-Cruiser event at the
Toys ‘R’ Us in Warwick last weekend, as well as dropping them off at State Police
barracks and local Police Departments throughout the state.
The toys and gift cards will be given to the following agencies for distribution to
families: Crossroads Rhode Island; Family Service of Rhode Island; Project Night
Vision; A Children’s Friend; the Hispanic Ministerial Association of Rhode Island;
Multi-Cultural Center for All; the Mount Hope Neighborhood Association; the Center
for Southeast Asians; the African Alliance; and the Chad Brown Alumni Association,
as well as additional agencies that serve families throughout the community.
The goal of Kids, Cops and Christmas is to provide a positive holiday experience for
deserving children, while also showing them that members of law enforcement are
their friends and are in their community to support them, Major Dicomitis said.
«Every child and teen deserves a special gift at Christmas,» Major Dicomitis said.
«Thanks to the generosity of our corporate donors and the citizens of Rhode Island,
we are able to ensure that hundreds of children will have something special under
their trees.»