Post 13 Troopers Shop With 90 Children, Inject $22,500 Locally

Kentucky State Police Post 13 in Hazard is carrying out its annual Shop with a Trooper program today, escorting 90 children from Perry and Letcher counties on a supervised shopping trip at the local Walmart. Troopers and partner law enforcement agencies are allocating $250 per child, for a total of $22,500 in direct purchases aimed at providing gifts and essentials for the holiday season.

The event places resources directly into local retail channels, creating a measurable short term boost for the store and for vendors supplying common household and gift items. The $22,500 in spending represents an immediate injection of demand in a single retail outlet, and for low income households it translates into reduced pressure on monthly budgets and fewer tradeoffs between necessities and seasonal spending.

Beyond the immediate economic effect, the program serves several local policy and social functions. For families confronting limited incomes, targeted holiday assistance reduces acute financial strain and can free up limited household cash for other needs such as utilities, transportation, or medical expenses. For law enforcement, the initiative is a visible practice of community engagement during a period when supportive services are in high demand. That combination addresses both short term material needs and longer term public trust objectives.

The event is coordinated by Post 13 troopers and supported by other law enforcement partners who accompany children in the store and help select age appropriate items and necessities. By serving 90 children from two counties in a single day, the program scales modestly while remaining focused on direct impact. The straightforward design maximizes the portion of funds that reach families as tangible goods rather than administrative overhead.

As local leaders and service providers plan assistance for winter months ahead, this event highlights the role that targeted community programs play alongside formal social safety net measures. For Perry County residents the shopping spree is both a local holiday relief effort and a reminder that public agencies and community partners can deploy limited resources quickly to meet immediate needs while supporting local commerce.