SALEM TOWNSHIP, PA — >>> Lee esta noticia en Español <<<
The Salem Township Police Department has a knack for raising money through custom patch and coin sales.
"Everyone goes to a cause we, we do a lot of public outreach," explained Police Chief Michael McNeal. "We have a giant trunk or treat. We get about 1,000 kids, and we use zero taxpayer money. It's all used through fundraising through our patches and coins."
In March, the department near Berwick decided to do a fundraiser for Autism Awareness Month in April to raise money for sensory-friendly equipment in the township's playground.
"We have Salem Elementary School in our jurisdiction a couple blocks away. They house all the autism support classrooms for the Berwick Area School District. Several times a year, they use our park as a field day to come up here. And before this, there was no sensory equipment for them," said McNeal.
The back of the coin features artwork from one of those students.
"We decided to make it fun and use the autism class at Salem to do a coloring contest, which the teachers voted on the winner, who turned out to be Aiden Foust, who was in kindergarten at that time," explained the chief.
From sales and donations, the department was able to raise $23,000 for this new equipment, plus more.
"We're missing - it's called the cozy cocoon - that the kids voted on and a moon rock climber, which is a half dome sensory inside with the solar system, stars, planets," explained the chief.
As for the department's current fundraiser? It's selling breast cancer patches to raise money for Candy's Place in Forty Fort.
If you want to support this fundraiser and others, you can find details on the department's website by clicking here.