Eureka Police Run No Shave November, Fundraising for Shop with a Cop

The Eureka Police Department has launched its second No Shave November campaign to raise money for the department's Shop with a Cop program, according to a City press release posted November 4, 2025. The Holiday initiative, now in its twelfth year, pairs participating children with first responders for a supervised shopping experience and a one hundred dollar gift card. For 2025 the department intends to add about fifty additional children to the roster, building on 414 children served in earlier years.

Under the announced plan, each participating EPD employee will donate one hundred dollars to sponsor a child. Community members may also contribute through staff members, by donating in person at the Eureka Police Department, or by sending a check to the Eureka Police Foundation with the memo line Shop with a Cop. The press release noted that the department will run a photo and poll in December to celebrate the best beard and best mustache as part of the fundraising promotion. Contact information and donation instructions were included in the city release and were subsequently covered by local outlets November 6 through 9.

For many families the event provides a practical benefit during the holiday season by helping children obtain gifts and experience positive interactions with first responders. The program’s steady expansion signals both a sustained department commitment to community outreach and a growing local reliance on charitable efforts coordinated by law enforcement to meet household needs during peak demand months.

At the same time the fundraising model raises institutional and policy questions that bear on public accountability. The campaign channels donations through the Eureka Police Foundation and through individual employee contributions. Residents and watchdogs will reasonably seek clarity on how funds are tracked, how sponsorship decisions are made, what proportion of department employees participate, and how costs of administration are covered. Transparency about totals raised, distribution records, and foundation oversight would help the public evaluate the program’s effectiveness and ensure donor confidence.

The initiative also points to broader civic choices about how the community addresses gaps in social supports. Charitable drives run by public safety agencies can build goodwill and provide immediate relief, yet they do not substitute for systematic policy responses to child poverty and family needs. Voters and civic leaders who want sustained change may look to budget, social service, and local policy options alongside continuing support for established community programs.

Residents interested in donating or learning more should consult the City press release and local coverage for the department’s provided contact information and donation procedures.