QUINCY — The Quincy Police Department is sponsoring a fundraising raffle and accepting donations for the department program that works to make the holiday season brighter for families in need.

The winners in the QPD “Cops & Kids” raffle will be announced Nov. 3. Jazzlynn Silva, a detective with QPD and one of the organizers, said the department provides Thanksgiving meals for families as well as assisting the families at Christmas.

“We aim to help eight to 10 (families),” Silva said. “It all depends on the money that we raise.”

As of Friday, QPD had enough money for about five families, she said. Eight families, encompassing 38 children, were part of the program in 2021.

“This year we switched it up a little,” she said, the result of something officers saw when they took children shopping for Christmas presents.

“We just noticed the kids would spend the money we gave them on essentials,” she said.

Children would pass over the toys or games for things the family needed.

“They’d buy a gallon of milk,” Silva said.

As a result, officers are accepting donations of new toys, new clothes, new coats and gloves, new blankets and new toiletry items including socks and underwear, Silva said. The donations will be added to the Christmas baskets.

“Anything you could think of that are really basic needs,” she said, things that families wouldn’t buy because their resources are going toward buying groceries.

Raffle tickets are $5 each and $20 for five. The raffle prizes are themed baskets, including one for game night, a basket for reading and another for cooking, and baskets from local businesses, among others. The drawing will be live on the department’s social media.

Monetary and other donations can be dropped off at the QPD office, 223 First Ave. SW, or mailed to PO Box 426, Quincy, WA 98848. People who want to buy raffle tickets or make donations also can contact Silva at the QPD, 509-787-4718 or 509-797-3555.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.