KINGSTON, R.I., Dec. 8, 2023 — Everyone knows that Santa has his elves, but at the University of Rhode Island it is the Department of Public Safety that is charged with making a list and checking it twice.

On Saturday, Dec. 16, and Sunday, Dec. 17, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day, several URI police officers and other public safety personnel will be at Walmart, 1031 Ten Rod Road, North Kingstown, to accept donations of toys and essential goods. They’ll be spreading plenty of holiday cheer, too.

In the weeks leading up to winter break, Shawn Miner, coordinator of community outreach for the University of Rhode Island’s Department of Public Safety, meets with representatives of multiple charitable organizations in Rhode Island to assess which toys are in demand this season. Miner also discusses food and clothing needs.

Since 2015, the URI Police Department, which is part of the public safety department, has held a toy drive outside the local Walmart to benefit organizations such as the Hasbro Children’s Foundation, The Frank Olean Center for Developmental/Intellectual Disability Services, as well as South County’s Welcome House, a non-profit dedicated to helping end homelessness in Rhode Island. 

While the Stuff-A-Cruiser event began as a toy drive only, in recent years it has expanded to include other items, says Director of Public Safety and Chief of Campus Police Michael Jagoda. Clothes, toiletries, and non-perishable foods, such as canned goods, are now included in the drive. All of this is made possible by the department’s commitment to the community, and collaboration with local social service providers. 

This expanded inventory enables the Department of Public Safety to provide local charities with clothes and personal items. This year also marks the first collaboration involving Stuff-A-Cruiser and Rhody Outpost, URI’s basic needs food pantry, which assists students who are food insecure.  

Jagoda says that the expansion of the Stuff-A-Cruiser event is meant to fill in the gaps of need that exist in the community, adding that college students and families oftentimes find themselves grappling with hunger, especially in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those unable to make the two-day event can drop off donations at the URI Police Department, open 24 hours a day and located on campus at 85 Briar Lane. Donations will be accepted at the Police Department from now until Dec. 17.

The pool of charitable organizations has increased in recent years, according to Jagoda, who has been the driving force behind the event in the seven years since its creation. He also credits Sgt. Erica Vieira and Cpl. Paul Hanrahan as being “vital,” to the development and progression of the event. While Vieira has been vital in the planning and logistics of the event, Hanrahan has been the catalyst who introduced Rhody Outpost to the Department of Public Safety. Hanrahan was the recipient of the first Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association’s  Community Policing Award in 2017.

Preparations for the drive begin months in advance, says Jagoda. Whereas the Hasbro Foundation provides the relevant departments with a list of high-demand toys, other affiliated charities provide lists of needed products as early as October. 

Once the event concludes on Dec. 17 at Walmart, the drop-off phase commences, with officers, in Santa-style, making their rounds to each of the local charities in quick succession. This year, the number of donations is expected to exceed last year’s tally of 3,000 items.

Between collection and drop-off phases, the Police Department becomes a “glorified toy store,” and “a true Santa’s workshop,” says Jagoda.

Addressing the struggles faced by URI students, and those in Rhode Island communities is central to the philosophy of “community policing,” Jagoda and his department seek to follow.

“Some of our community members, and some of our students have had negative interactions with police officers,” says Jagoda, who hopes that the charitable events and community outreach opportunities work to “build trust,” between officers and community members. “The event helps us connect with people during a joyous time. We are always touched by the generosity of the people who participate.”

Expansion into philanthropy, in addition to the regular responsibilities of the URI police, is all a part of the “guardian,” mindset that is inseparable from Jagoda’s endeavor to strengthen the bond between the department and the community. He says programs like this are “especially important in times when people don’t have faith in police officers.” 

In line with the philosophy of community policing, strengthening the relationship between URI students and URI police will “enhance security and safety on campus,” by “making a true difference within our community, and creating a partnership,” Jagoda says.

The list of high-demand toys has yet to be finalized, but it will be available outside Walmart on the days of the drive. In the meantime, Rhody Outpost has provided a list of food and toiletry items that will benefit the outpost and other charities. 

“We look forward to seeing so many friendly and kind people, as they make someone’s holidays special and fun,” says Miner. “Stuff-A-Cruiser also gives a wonderful boost to our public safety team. We hope to see you there!”

This story was written by Samantha Melia, a senior journalism and political science major at the University of Rhode Island and an intern in the Department of Marketing and Communications