Before the morning traffic reached full swing, Hometown police officers were already stationed at Dunkin’ at 8940 S. Cicero Ave. in Oak Lawn. Their presence was part of the statewide “Cop on a Rooftop” fundraiser, supporting Special Olympics Illinois through the Law Enforcement Torch Run initiative.
Now in its third year participating in Cop on a Rooftop and fourth year as a Torch Run department, the Hometown Police Department has become a committed force behind the cause.
“I like this event because it allows our officers to be human and interact with the public in a positive way,” said Commander Nathan Haubenreiser. “All while trying to raise as much money as possible for Special Olympics of Illinois.”
Across Illinois, more than 170 Dunkin’ locations hosted officers on rooftops Friday morning, all raising awareness and funds for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Patrons dropped donations into buckets, kids posed for photos with squad cars, and supportive honks rang out from passing vehicles.
Hometown expected to have about 20 volunteers on site throughout the day.
“We hope to have great attendance like in years past,” Haubenreiser said. “For us, this event kicks off our fundraising campaign for the year and has always been a great way to start off.”
The annual fundraiser is part of the broader Law Enforcement Torch Run effort, which involves over 3,000 officers in a 1,500-mile intrastate relay. In Illinois, the initiative raises crucial funds for Special Olympics programming that reaches nearly 21,500 athletes and over 18,500 children in the Young Athletes program.
Haubenreiser shared that the department has raised over $50,000 since joining the effort just three years ago.
“We average around $3,000 for Cop on a Rooftop, and with other events like the Polar Plunge, 5-0 Racing, and our motorcycle raffle, we raised over $27,000 last year,” he said. “We ranked 27th out of all participating departments across the state. Raising such a high amount in our small town really shows the commitment from the residents, businesses, and officers.”
One of his favorite parts? “Having athletes come out to the sites. Seeing how excited they are to meet us and how grateful they are really gives us the energy to continue to fundraise year after year.”
The department’s fundraising goal for 2025 is $30,000 — a mark they hope to get a strong start on with this year’s Cop on a Rooftop event.
In Hometown and across Illinois, Friday’s fundraiser combined coffee, community, and a deep commitment to inclusion — a mission that began decades ago with Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver and continues to grow through grassroots efforts like this one.
