Massachusetts Department Raises $2K for Local Food Bank

Officers with the Reading (MA) Police Department raised more than $2,000 for a local food bank this holiday season.

December 18, 2019

Massachusetts Department Raises $2K for Local Food Bank

Deputy Chief of Police David Clark, Reading Food Pantry Coordinator Phyllis Maxwell, Sergeant Chris Jones, and Officer Mike Scouten celebrate the holidays with a generous donation to families in need.

Credit:

Image courtesy of Reading PD / Facebook.

1 min to read

Officers with the Reading (MA) Police Department raised more than $2,000 for a local food bank this holiday season.

The agency said on its Facebook page that this is the second year holding a "Don't Shave December" fundraiser to support the local food pantry. The initiative began last year when multiple officers expressed significant enthusiasm after raising funds for Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital program dedicated to helping veterans and their families, through "No Shave November."

As a result, the department held "Don't Shave December," and the department's shaving regulations were waived once again, this time to support the local food pantry.

Deputy Chief Clark said, "Waiving the department's shaving regulations is a fun way to come together and donate to support organizations that do incredible work, and it is our pleasure to be able to give back to the Reading Food Pantry."

"With this donation we will be able to buy between 6,000 and 7,000 pounds of fresh food," said Coordinator of the Reading Food Pantry Phyllis Maxwell. "We thank the Reading Police Department for helping support the Food Pantry with this great fundraiser."

Topics:Officer Kindness Massachusetts Massachusetts agencies patrol The Northeast Patrol

More Patrol

image of men on bicycles and women competing in martial arts and a log for the US Police & Fire Championships

Patrol•December 10, 2025

Police & Fire Championships Expands Athlete Eligibility

The US Police & Fire Championships is now open to all employees – sworn, civilian, administrative, technical, and support staff – who work directly for an eligible public safety agency.

Sponsored•by Wayne Parham•December 5, 2025

Tips for Watching the Hands

How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.

Sponsored•by Wayne Parham•December 3, 2025

10 Tips for Felony/High-Risk Stops

What steps can officers take to stay safer during felony or high-risk vehicle stops? Here are 10 tips from Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association.

Screenshot of compute screen showing a blurred license plate compared to an image where the image has been enhanced to show the numbers and letters.

Patrol•by Edited by Staff•November 25, 2025

Amped Highlights Power Behind Amped FIVE Software

Amped FIVE empowers you to advance your investigations with confidence and precision, from the crime scene all the way to the courtroom.

Background orange tinted image of southern California with pushpin marking Burbank. Headline reads K-9 Killed by Gunman, Burbank Police Department

Patrol•November 24, 2025

Police K-9 Killed, Suspect Dies in Shootout with Cops

A Burbank Police Department K-9 was fatally shot over the weekend by a passenger who fled on foot from a traffic stop. The armed suspect was killed in a shootout with officers.

Patrol•by Wayne Parham•November 23, 2025

From the Show Floor: InVeris

In this video, learn about how InVeris provides training to law enforcement, including customized augmented reality scenarios. The augmented reality system can scan up to 10,000 square feet of real-life environments and create a curriculum based on those spaces.