Charitable organization gearing up for “Shop with a Cop” event

FRAMINGTON, Mass. (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - Halloween is just around the corner, but charitable organizations are already looking past the spooky season to the holiday season, and one well-known shopping event for kids is looking for some help.

The "Shop with a Cop" event that pairs kids in financial need with police officers for a holiday buying spree.

The event has served over 2,000 kids in the Metro West area for the last seven years and has grown every year.

They expect 800 applications this coming season, and at this point, the event's organizer says they've only got the funds for roughly 125 kids.

"As a police officer, I go to a lot of different calls and I see a lot of different things that are heartbreaking or devastating to us. Seeing a child's face and how rewarding it is to us to build a relationship with a child that will last for years," said Officer Matt Gutwill with the Framington Police Department (FPD).

This year's "Shop with a Cop" will take place in December.