Hampden County Sheriff’s Office distributes toys to over 400 kidsDate: 1/3/2024 In the days leading up to Christmas, the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office made sure that kids in the surrounding communities did not go without a gift this holiday season.
On Thursday, Dec. 21 from 3:30 to 5 p.m., Sheriff Nick Cocchi Claus visited the H.J. Toepfert Apartments in Holyoke with the Mounted Patrol Unit, Emotional Support Division and elves to handing out toys to approximately 100 children.
The event also featured visits from local first responders and elected officials as well as great holiday visuals, including a very familiar Santa Claus.
Cocchi said, “I thought it was a very powerful couple of weeks for the Sheriff’s Office with our community partners as well. Working with some of the Police Departments and certainly working with our staff, it was an emotional, moving couple weeks. The parents or the grandparents, whoever came or whoever was home were so grateful for the gifts and that really reaffirmed that one, its needed in our communities and two, it’s so appreciated from the community.”
On Friday Dec. 22 at 8 a.m., Sheriff Cocchi, Civil Process Chief Deputy Bobby Hoffman, and the Hampden County Sheriffs Office team gathered at the Ludlow Mills to begin hitting the streets to deliver Christmas presents to the children, many of whom have a parent incarcerated or attend his Youth Leadership Academy summer camp.
All routes departed from Building 115 at the Ludlow Mills complex, behind 100 State St.
There were hundreds of gift bags of presents spread across 12 routes led by HCSO staff inside the mill space.
“Our main focus for these gifts was kids of justice involved parents who were incarcerated and obviously our Leadership academy summer camp students which we had upwards of 180 kids. It’s very powerful. I believe that every child at the holiday season regardless of what holiday you celebrate should have some level of a gift of appreciation. We want them to know they’re thought about, cared about and loved,” Cocchi said.
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