ROCHESTER, Ill. (WAND) - Christmas is quickly approaching, and the Rochester Police Department is already working on how it can give back to its community.

Officer Justin Harris said last year, the department created the Santa's E.L.F.S. Program. It's a program that raises money and collects items for local families in need.

Through the program, officers were able to deliver gifts to 14 children in the community.

"Christmas is a hard time. The holidays are a hard time for families," Harris said. "There's a lot of children in our school district that we see that don't have coats. They don't have a lot of the things that the other kids do have."

But this year, Harris said the department is hoping to make the program bigger and better.  

"We want to continue, each year, to grow this program," Harris said. "We decided to design some shirts, which are being donated by Primo Designs in Springfield. The shirts are $25, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to our Santa's E.L.F.S. Program."

Officer Matt Henton said the department's eight officers even donate money our of their own pockets to the program in order to participate in No Shave November.

"Policy says that we can't have beards," Henton said. "The chief has allowed us to grow a beard since we are donating the money to charity."

Henton is from Rochester and said it feels great to give back to the community he grew up in.

"We see people on their worst days, and it's nice when we get to deliver the presents to families," Henton said. "We really want to show that we are people too, and we can help other people. We aren't just here to be the bad guy."

Those interested in donating can contact the Rochester Police Department at (217) 498-8443.

The department is selling t-shirts until the second week in December.