Behind the Badge
The joke about cops and donuts has become a way for one young boy to show his appreciation to law enforcement across the country.
Tyler Carach, 9, better known as “Donut Boy,” is on a nationwide mission to personally thank law enforcement. He currently is on a six-week trek to 13 different states, including Florida, Georgia, Ohio and New York — just to name a few — and is hoping to deliver more than 10,000 donuts.
Tyler is from Florida and started his work as Donut Boy last fall when he met four sheriff’s deputies at a convenience store. Tyler offered to buy them coffee and donuts with his own money. Now, he’s delivered nearly 7,000 donuts and has no plans of slowing down. His program, “I DONUT need a reason to thank a cop,” a clever play on words, has become a national phenomenon.
“I like to thank cops,” Tyler told PoliceOne.
So much so, he spent his last birthday delivering 2,000 donuts, 700 cups of coffee and 500 handmade cupcakes to officers in Atlanta.
Photo courtesy of Sheena Carach
But how does Tyler afford to pay for so many donuts? Well, he starts by doing chores at home to earn some money. But the rest has come from the kindness of strangers. People are touched by Tyler’s determination and hand him cash, or offer to pay for his next donut donation. Tyler even has made an appearance on the Steve Harvey Show, where he received a check for $5,000 from Boxed.com. Krispy Kreme has also donated multiple times.
Each department Tyler has visited is blown away by his efforts. Not only do they appreciate the treats, but the act of kindness goes a long way.
“We get a lot of support from the community — not as much as I would like to see our officers get thanked,” Allentown Chief Glen Dorney told Lehigh Valley Live after a recent visit from Tyler. “This kid is awesome. I wish we could do this everyday.”
Tyler has received the National George Washington Honor Medal from The Freedoms Foundation and a National Youth Activist Award in Social Justice.
“It’s been incredible for me to watch my child accomplish his dream of thanking these officers and knowing what it means to them to hear that,” Tyler’s mother, Sheena, told PoliceOne. “Because they could be having the worst day in the world and then we walk up to them and say thank you. It reminds them why they do this job.”
You can follow Donut Boy’s adventures on his Facebook page. You also can contribute to Tyler’s mission by donating to his GoFundMe account.
And be on the lookout for a donut-covered cape. Donut Boy could be making a visit to your local department soon!
