The Eden Prairie Police Department has become the target of Alyssa Hodo’s generosity for a second time.
Alyssa, 7, of Eden Prairie and her family dropped off a $200 donation for the Eden Prairie Crime Prevention Fund at the police department on June 22. She requested that the funds be used to help the department’s K-9 unit.
She raised the money by baking homemade dog biscuits.
“Thank you Alyssa for your thoughtfulness and generosity,” the department said in a blog post.
Last fall, the department also received 25 “Survival Kits for Police” from Alyssa and her family. They contained candy meant to symbolize pieces of advice including a Snickers, “to help keep your humor,” and a Lifesaver, to “remind you of the many times you’ve been one.”
Each survival kit bag was secured with a metal washer on a blue ribbon. The washers were stamped with a reference to the Bible verse, Matthew 5:9, which states, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.” Alyssa also included a note with the gifts in which she said the police officers were brave and that she had made them gifts. She also wrote that she has autism, doesn’t have a lot of friends and that she wanted to be the officers’ friend.
According to the department, employees were so touched by the gesture, that they collected donations and surprised Alyssa with a gift card and craft supplies in November.
Alyssa’s gift-giving has also extended to the Eden Prairie Fire Department. Her mother, Nicole Hodo, said they dipped pretzels in red chocolate to make them look like match sticks and included a note that said “Nobody can hold a match to you for what you do for us.”
Nicole said after they had given the police department the survival kits, Alyssa wanted to do more to show her appreciation by making dog biscuits for the Eden Prairie Police Department dogs. The idea eventually evolved into selling the biscuits and donating the proceeds to help the department.
They sold some biscuits to family and friends, but they got a boost when, in March, the Valley West Sewing Center in Bloomington offered to sell them. Alyssa raised $100 from selling bags of peanut butter and chicken-flavored biscuits for $5 a bag. Her family matched that and contributed the other $100, Nicole said.
“She did not keep any of the money for herself,” she said.
Nicole said while she buys the ingredients and helps Alyssa with measurements, Alyssa bakes and cuts the biscuits on her own. Her daughter has been passionate about the project because she loves dogs and she trusts police officers.
“It gives her a boost in confidence when she does that and I like to see that,” she said.
Alyssa’s goal is to continue raising $200, make another donation when she hits that level and repeat the process, Nicole said.
