LANSING, MI - In the holiday season, it's important to be thankful for everything we have.

The goal of the Shop with a Cop event was to bring together those people who don't get enough exposure in everyday life. The annual event brings cops from all over the Lansing area to be paired with an underprivileged child.

The day began at 8:30 Saturday morning at Plymouth Congregational Center in Lansing. The officers were briefed on their unusual assignment for the day, before eating breakfast and meeting up with their child.

The officer allows the child to ride in their police car, playing with the siren and teaching the kids a normal day in law enforcement. The children receive $100 courtesy of local business' donations, and can be spent on Christmas gifts from Wal-Mart.

Volunteers arrive at the store and help the children wrap their Christmas gifts. The kids and officers also meet Santa at the mall, followed by a lunch before being dropped off back with their parents.

The event is used as a way to bring the community and the local law enforcement together. Officer Candace Ivey, a coordinator for the event, spoke about the importance of the day for the cops and everyone involved.

"We're so run down right now," said Ivey. "The media's giving us a hard time, the community's giving us a hard time. So this event, for me, personally is a recharge to keep me going in this job."

The event had more than 100 volunteer officers, from Meridian Township, East Lansing, Lansing, and the state level. The event is held every year near Christmas time, and volunteers have more than tripled from the event in 2013.