Michigan's beloved "Shop with a Hero" program allows police officers and firefighters to volunteer to take children Christmas shopping and pays for the tab.

In Ingham County, 55 children were able to be "shoppers" this year, strolling the aisles of a department store and picking out items totaling $100. With donations from the retailer Meijer, and money donated to the Sheriff's Office for the program, not only was the child able to shop with a $100 Meijer gift card, each family received a ham, turkey, milk, and other food items, and an extra $25 gift card to the store.

One woman whose daughter participated in the program sent a touching letter to WILX, describing what it meant for her family.

Generous and unexpected donations boosted the benefits this year for families. Some of the children were able to also purchase toys for their parents or siblings, buy winter clothing items, and for one family, $50 worth of gas was pumped for their car.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "With my family, due to recent events, we no longer have any money at all coming into the home, and this was to me, a gift from above. When I called in to verify that we would be there, I had to ask if we might be able to use maybe $15.00 of that $100.00 to pay for gas so we could not only get there, but be able to get home, and let me tell you, I felt bad for asking, but I had to, otherwise she would not have been able to go. The lady told me that they would give me a Meijer gas card, and not to worry, Elizabeth will still be able to get her 100.00 worth of gifts. Needless to say, I cried on the phone to the woman, for the kindness they had bestowed upon us."

(READ the rest of the letter from WILX.com)