Denim Drive
The Denim Drive is one of the Reno Rodeo Foundation’s longest-standing programs, providing brand-new clothing, shoes, and essential items to children entering foster care across Northern Nevada.
Through the support of our community, the program helps ensure that children have access to the items they need during a time of transition — offering not just essentials, but a dignity, comfort, and a sense of care.
One thing that is especially important to us — and to many of our partners — is ensuring that support stays local. Monetary and material donations designated to a specific Northern Nevada county or community remain within that area. We are deeply committed to honoring this and proud to offer partners and donors the opportunity to direct their support to the area that matters most to them.
Meeting Immediate Needs With Dignity
When children enter foster care, they often do so with very few personal belongings. The Denim Drive helps meet those immediate needs by providing new clothing, shoes, hygiene products, and other essential items.
Many children also receive personalized shopping experiences with their caseworkers, allowing them to choose clothing that fits their needs and reflects their preferences, offering a sense of control and dignity during an uncertain time.
How It Works
The Denim Drive is supported through both in-kind donations and financial contributions from individuals, businesses, and community partners across Northern Nevada.
Donated items are collected throughout the year and distributed during organized events, while financial contributions allow caseworkers to take children on personalized shopping trips — ensuring they receive exactly what they need, when they need it.
The program operates year-round, with focused community drives and distribution efforts designed to meet the ongoing needs of children entering foster care.
Impact
For two decades, the Denim Drive has helped ensure that children entering foster care across Northern Nevada have access to brand-new clothing and essential items. These numbers represent more than support — they reflect moments of dignity, choice, and stability during times of transition.
Support Provided Since 2016
4,258
children received new clothing and essentials
2,178
experienced personalized shopping trips
1,952
children attended a distribution event and received additional support
$1.28M
in support provided to foster children across Northern Nevada
Support Provided in 2025
722
children received new clothing and essentials
589
experienced personalized shopping trips
133
children attended a distribution event and received additional support
$207,541
in support provided to foster children across Northern Nevada
Numbers reported as of July 2025
How To Support
Community support is essential to the success of the Denim Drive. There are several ways to get involved and make a meaningful impact:
- Make a financial contribution
- Donate new clothing and essential items
- Not sure what to buy? Check out our Amazon Wish List
- Participate in our Denim Drive Campaigns
- Spread the word
Denim Drive Campaigns
For more than 20 years, the Reno Rodeo Foundation’s Denim Drive has been a trusted source of comfort, dignity, and support for abused, neglected, and displaced infants, children, and teens across 14 Northern Nevada counties. While many know it through seasonal campaigns, this has always been a year-round commitment to meeting the everyday needs of foster youth.
Each year, we host two focused community drives:
- Spring Denim Drive: May 1 – June 30
- Winter Denim Drive: November 1 – December 31
During these campaigns, we collect new clothing, shoes, hygiene products, and essential items, along with monetary donations that allow us to respond to individual needs throughout the year.
This year marks an important step forward with the introduction of our first Spring Denim Drive—created in direct response to the needs expressed by caseworkers and foster families. Children don’t only need support during the holidays, they need it all year long. The Spring Denim Drive ensures that children entering care, changing placements, or simply growing out of what they have can access brand-new clothing and essentials when they need them most.
Through both in-kind and financial contributions, we provide more than just clothing. We provide choice, confidence, and a sense of normalcy during uncertain moments. Monetary donations allow caseworkers to take children shopping themselves, giving them the opportunity to choose items that fit, reflect their personality, and help them feel like themselves again.
We invite businesses and community partners to stand with us in this mission. As a Denim Drive partner, your support directly impacts foster children across Northern Nevada while strengthening your connection to the community. Partnership opportunities include meaningful recognition, visibility across campaign periods, and hands-on engagement through volunteerism and collection efforts.