For this week’s feel-good-story, we thought we would throw some support in-house, shedding light on a fundraiser that one of our staff members is currently holding in an effort to raise awareness and support for the Maryland Chapter of COPS – Concerns of Police Survivors.
“I know many people are not pleased with the police these days, but I am not focusing on the police but rather on the innocent families that fallen officers are leaving behind,” explained Mike Kelley this week. “All kids deserve a chance and children of fallen police officers deserve a chance and support to help them succeed.”
From now through Memorial Day, Kelley will be selling t-shirts emblazoned with an outline of the State of Maryland and the colors of the Maryland flag – each t-shirt is $18 and for every 250 shirts sold, $1000 will be donated to Maryland Concerns of Police Survivors.
“With everything that is going on today, people often forget that police officers have very dangerous jobs and that sometimes, they don’t make it home after their shift. People also overlook the fact that most of the time these officers have families for whom life must go on.” Kelley hopes to alleviate some of the hardships that surviving family members face with a significant contribution to MD COPS. “MD COPS is an organization that takes the time to help families of these fallen officers and make sure there is a support network that these families can turn to in some of the most dire times in their lives.”
The Maryland Chapter of COPS is a statewide non-profit organization that provides a wide variety of programs and services to the survivors of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in the State of Maryland according to Federal and State government criteria. Significant others, fiances, other family members, and co-workers are also recognized as survivors. Services include scholarships, peer support, counseling programs, trial and parole support, death benefit information and other assistance programs.
For Kelley, the aim is to help the families, particularly the children, that many people don’t think about after hearing of a fallen police officer. “The majority of police officers are caring, honest, and hardworking members of their communities, and constantly put their lives on the line for our protection. That is why I have this desire to help the families of fallen officers.”
To order a t-shirt, simply click here. To find out more about MD COPS, visit their website at mdcops.org.
