Boise’s first responders find ways to spread joy and hope throughout the holiday season — with help from the community. From lighting up hospital windows to collecting toys and coats for families in need, they spread cheer to thousands of Treasure Valley residents each year.
For many, the holiday joy begins with the Boise Fire Department, which hosts a variety of seasonal fundraisers through the Boise Fire Community Assistance Fund. “Every dollar that goes into this fund goes right back into the community,” explains Boise Firefighter and Board Member of the Boise Fire Community Assistance Fund Ethan Danielson.
For Ethan, the impact goes beyond the fire station. “I love working as a firefighter — it’s my passion — but doing this on the side to help the community gives me that same kind of feeling of just… wow. I get to be part of something so much bigger than myself. It’s incredible. It’s people helping people, which is a good thing.”
Toy Brigade
Each year, community members donate toys to local fire stations across Boise. Boise Firefighters collect and deliver these gifts to children and families at St. Luke’s, St. Alphonsus, the Boise Rescue Mission, the Ronald McDonald House, and other community organizations. When the collection period ends, firefighters climb aboard their trucks with Santa and Mrs. Claus, spreading holiday cheer as they deliver the toys and spend time with the children.
Operation Warm
Through donations to the Boise Fire Community Assistance Fund and donated coats, Boise Fire helps students in the Boise School District stay warm each winter. In partnership with Operation Warm, over the past five years, they’ve provided close to two thousand coats to kids in need.
Jennifer Morin, Boise Rescue Mission Children’s Program Manager, says,
“The Boise Fire Department, for many years, has been providing our kids with Christmas gifts. The kids always light up and feel so seen and loved. The Boise Fire Department truly believes in helping the youth here at the Boise Rescue Mission Ministries, and we cannot thank them enough for all they do!”
The Boise Fire Department isn’t alone in spreading holiday cheer. Across town, Boise Police officers are finding their own ways to give back.
Shop With a Cop
For the past 30 years, the Boise Police Department has hosted Shop with a Cop. In 2024, the event supported 32 families and 70 kids.
Boise Police Department Communications Manager Haley Williams explains, “The Victim Witness Coordinators work with families known to the department who have gone through something during the previous year and are in need of or deserving of support. They get wish lists from the families, buy presents, wrap them, and then an officer dressed as Santa gives them to the kids and families.”
Several Boise Police officers went above and beyond in the 2024 season, organizing their own drives and donations — loading patrol cars to the brim with gifts. Their efforts made it possible to deliver hundreds of presents to local children and families, according to the Boise Police Department.
Thanks to the generosity of Boise Police employees and several businesses, thousands of dollars in gift cards were also collected for children and teens in need.
Shine a Light
Together, these acts of giving build to one unforgettable night. After weeks of shopping, giving, and delivering joy across the city, firefighters, police officers, and emergency crews unite for a single, powerful tradition that turns compassion into light.
Each year, dozens of emergency responders from across the Treasure Valley come together to bring a little extra magic to the patients and families at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital. The event, known as “Shine a Light,” transforms the hospital grounds into a dazzling display of color. As more than a dozen local agencies gather outside the hospital, the night sky fills with flashing red and blue lights, forming a choreographed fifteen-minute light show. Before the show begins, Boise Police officers join Mr. and Mrs. Claus to deliver gifts to the young patients and their families.
In a season built on giving, Boise’s first responders remind the community what service truly means. Through every flashing light, wrapped gift, and shared smile, they prove that the spirit of the holidays shines brightest when people come together to care for one another.