Where does the name Starfish Assignment come from?

We try to make a difference for one, based on this parable:

One day a man was walking along a beach when he noticed a boy picking up starfish and throwing them into the ocean. He asked the boy what he was doing.

“Throwing starfish into the ocean,” the child replied. “The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back in, they’ll die.”

The man laughed. “How can you possibly hope to make a difference? There are miles of beach here, and hundreds, if not thousands of starfish washed up onto it.” The boy listened politely, then bent down and gently tossed another starfish into the surf. He smiled at the man and said, “I made a difference to that one.”

What agencies do you work with? Will you work with mine?

We work with law enforcement agencies that have jurisdiction in Licking County. Our existing partnered agencies include the Newark Police Department, Heath Police Department, Reynoldsburg Police Department, and the Licking County Sheriff’s Office. If you are a law enforcement agency in Licking County and not currently partnered with us, we would love to speak with you. Please email us at lcsupport@starfishassignment.org.

I’m a Police Officer with jurisdiction in Licking County. I identified someone in need. How do I proceed?

We really look forward to working with you! Please email us at lcsupport@starfishassignment.org. We strive to get back to you within 24 hours with questions or ideas about how we’d like to proceed. Please include your phone number as well as a good time to call.

How are you funded?

Through private contributions like donations on this website, through our Facebook page, and from wonderful business sponsors. The law enforcement agencies we work with do not give us money; we are a separate entity from them.

I’ve fallen on hard times. Will you help me?

We’re very sorry to hear you’re having a tough time. Our charity is different than most. We work only with law enforcement officers who partner with us to get help for people they come across in the course of their duties.

Why did you delete my comment?

Starfish Assignment Licking County strives to be a positive and non-political organization. We welcome people of all backgrounds. Comments that do not meet those standards may be subject to deletion.

Do you take item donations?

Thank you for thinking of us! If we’ve posted an Assignment and you’re contacting us about that, please email us at lcsupport@starfishassignment.org. It’s very hard for us to keep track of messages on Facebook and we don’t want to miss anything. Unfortunately, we don’t have the storage space for items, so we ask for items as people need them.

I’m interested in volunteering, how can I get connected?

Please send us an email at lcsupport@starfishassignment.org.