Charleston’s ‘Stuff the Cop Car’ is Friday

CHARLESTON, Mo. — Those looking to make a difference in the lives of others this Christmas season may want to consider contributing to the “Stuff the Cop Car” event Friday in Charleston.

The toy and gift donation drive sponsored by Charleston High School SADD in cooperation with Charleston Department of Public Safety will be from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9 at Charleston High School near the library doors.

Drop boxes will also be set up until Dec. 15 at various merchants in Charleston. The new toys or gift donations will directly benefit students in the Charleston R-1 School District.

Charleston R-1 School Resource Officer Brenda Bickford who also works for Charleston DPS said “Stuff the Cop Car” is one way individuals can help give Christmas to local families who can’t afford one otherwise.

“I love doing it, and it is a challenge and a blessing at the same time,” Bickford said.

When the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Christmas campaign organized by the juvenile office and police stopped 14 years ago, Bickford said she wanted to keep the program going and began organizing the effort herself. She also partnered with Charleston’s SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) chapter. At one point, the program was able to serve 150-225 families, she said.

Bickford said she couldn’t organize the effort due to COVID in 2020, but she started it back up again last year, and 20 families benefited from it.

“This year I’m hoping we’ll get to help at least 50 families,” Bickford said on Tuesday.

Items needed are toys for boys and girls ages zero to 11 years, Bickford said. Common toys donated include baseball bats, balls for all sports, Batman action figures, Barbie dolls, makeup and jewelry, she said.

This year a donation of coats was made and so those will be added to the gift baskets, she said. The school district also provides coloring books and colored pencils for each family.

“We do appreciate everyone who donates in the past and will continue to donate. We accept anything and everything. We appreciate it all,” Bickford said.

Monetary donations are also accepted and will be used to purchase toys for the effort, Bickford said.

Once items are collected, the SADD students help by organizing the toys, Bickford said. It’s done anonymously using a number system and the students do not know who they are helping, she said.

Items are distributed to families in a large, bag so parents can wrap the gifts as they like, she said, adding she does provide wrapping paper for those who need it.

Something new this year is the downtown merchants serving as drop-off sites for the program, too, which Bickford said, has already helped.

“We’ve already almost got a cop car full of toys and donations,” she said.

Bickford said she’s always had a desire to help others, which is what has driven her to continue the effort for more than 10 years.

“In the past, times have been hard on a lot of people, and I’ve seen families struggle,” Bickford said. “… It makes me feel good to help, but I also feel sad because I can’t help everyone who needs it.”

Usually after Thanksgiving, Bickford starts to receive phone calls from those in need. This year was no exception. She said started getting phone calls the day after Thanksgiving.

“I told my husband: ‘It’s starting to feel like Christmas,’” Bickford said.