Unsuspecting residents receive holiday gift from EPPD and Crime Prevention Fund

What do a homeless family with three kids, a Ukrainian student who escaped a war, and an elderly man whose vehicle ran out of gas have in common?

First, they were “caught” by one of the Eden Prairie Police Department’s 75 staff members. Second, they were given $50 in cash to help them out during the holidays.

The lucky recipients were part of the Eden Prairie Police Department’s (EPPD) Cops and Cash for the Holidays program. The money was handed out throughout the month of December.

This is the third year in a row that EPPD staff got to brighten people’s holidays with the help of a donation from the Eden Prairie Crime Prevention Fund.

The Crime Prevention Fund provided every department member with $50 to give away to a community member as they saw fit. An anonymous donor provided funding for the program.

Here are a few of the recipients of the Crime Prevention Fund’s gift:

• A homeless family with three kids to spend the night in a hotel.
• A Ukrainian student who came to Minnesota to escape the war in Ukraine.
• A family with three kids sledding on a hill with only two sleds. Parents stated they will use it to purchase another sled and winter gear.
• A motorist with three kids who had a flat tire and has been struggling to keep up with insurance payments.
• A gas station clerk who was down on his luck and just getting over COVID-19.
• A family who recently lost a parent and is struggling financially.
• A victim of domestic violence to help find a place to stay.
• A gas station clerk who used the money to make five separate $10 gas gift cards to pay it forward.
• An elderly man whose vehicle ran out of gas.
• A struggling family to purchase clothing and holiday gifts.
• A victim of a swindle who lost $9,000 and will most likely not be reimbursed.