The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office is an active partner in many Community events which provide a helping hand to those citizens who are struggling to provide for themselves. This is particularly true during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. These holidays are especially difficult for families who cannot afford to buy food or presents.

The Sheriff’s Office participates in 4th Street Christmas On the Corridor Parade in partnership with the Reno Sparks Corridor Business Association. Candy, cookies and toys are distributed to children in need who reside on the 4th, 5th and 6th Street corridors of Reno.

The Sheriff’s Foundation, a non-profit charitable foundation founded by Sheriff Dennis Balaam, holds an annual Shop with the Sheriff. Volunteers from the Sheriff’s Office and the community are paired with children who are referred by a social service agency. The children are given a set amount of money to purchase items at Wal-Mart for themselves or members of their family.

The Sheriff’s Office along with the Sheriff’s Foundation contributes non-perishable food to the Northern Nevada Food Bank.

Each year, the employees of the Sheriff’s Office adopt several families during Christmas. Employees purchase toys, house-hold items, clothing, etc., that the families request.

The Sheriff’s Office and the Sheriff’s Foundation purchase food and make up Thanksgiving Baskets for families in need. The Baskets include a complete holiday dinner for each family.

A few days before Christmas, the Sheriff and volunteers from the Sheriff’s Community Work Program deliver goody bags to local children gathered at the Sun Valley Family Resource and Recreation Center. The bags contain gifts, candy, stuffed animals and warm hats.

For further information about these events, refer to the State of the Sheriff’s Office Report, Volunteering in the Community.