Portland is preparing for an event designed to equip children in need with necessary tools for the upcoming school year. Sunshine Division, in collaboration with the Portland Police Bureau and Fred Meyer, is hosting the 23rd annual Izzy’s Kids "Shop With A Cop" event this Thursday, with activities kicking off at 7 a.m. at the Johnson Creek Fred Meyer location. According to a Portland Police Bureau press release, police officers will partner with 250 local children, providing each with a $165 Fred Meyer gift card for a back-to-school shopping spree.
The event, a long-standing tradition now in its twenty-third year, will see Portland Police Chief Bob Day and Sunshine Division Executive Director Kyle Camberg delivering opening remarks before the shopping begins. Each young participant will be paired with an officer or local first responder to assist in selecting their new garments and supplies.
Remarkable discounts and free school supplies and toiletries will be available from Fred Meyer, while Columbia Sportswear has pitched in with backpack donations for the kids. Families are slated to start checking in early Thursday morning at the Fred Meyer Garden Center, said the division's release, with representatives from the involved parties ready for interviews. Officer Rashida Saunders, Sunshine Division’s Bureau Liaison, commented to the Portland Police on the dual focus of the event: providing for families in financial need and fostering positive interactions with law enforcement.
The selection of the children for Izzy’s Kids "Shop With A Cop" is based on financial need as determined by various agencies around the city, and registration for this year is already full. "Every year, we see children and families light up with joy from simply being able to choose they own clothes," Kyle Camberg expressed in an address to the Police Bureau. This initiative, named in memory of Sunshine Division’s late board chair, Isabel Hoyt, has been instrumental in equipping hundreds of children with new school attire since its inception in 1981.
Media access to the event is open, with the organization emphasizing that children wearing a BLUE lanyard are consented to being on camera, whereas those with a RED lanyard should not be filmed. Those who want more information or are looking to engage with the initiative can reach out to Kyle Camberg directly at [email protected] or by calling 503.300.7982.
