A ho, ho, holly jolly good time was had at UNLV on Saturday, Dec. 14, as the campus — in partnership with United Movement Organized Kindness (UMOK) and other community partners and volunteers — hosted the annual President’s Holiday Village at UNLV.

A variety of efforts across campus have aimed to make the holiday season a little brighter for those less fortunate in Southern Nevada. Over the past four years, these efforts have joined together in what has become a campus and communitywide tradition.

This event, designed to provide holiday cheer for Southern Nevadans and to ensure no child goes without a holiday toy, received over 5,000 registrations, representing more than 3,000 children and nearly 1,100 households, in advance of the annual celebration.

Activities included bounce houses, opportunities to interact with public safety vehicles, face painting, balloon artists, and an all-star lineup of holiday characters. The mobile pet therapy yard, which is always one of the event’s most popular attractions, provided an opportunity for youth to engage with farm animals – an occasion many of these children who reside in urban neighborhoods have never had.

A variety of fun table-top activities for children included holiday hat making and creating Rudolph-themed hot chocolate bags.

Meanwhile, parents and guardians had the chance to connect with 40 campus and community resource providers to learn about low- and no-cost offerings designed to improve quality of life for all ages and stages. Attendees were also encouraged to take advantage of the UNLV Farmer’s Market being held next to the Holiday Village.

Most importantly, the primary goal of the event – to provide children from underserved households in Southern Nevada with a holiday gift and holiday cheer – was achieved. Each child was able to select a new toy as a holiday gift to take home thanks to an ongoing partnership between UNLV and UMOK. 

“At UMOK, we believe in the power of community partnerships to create meaningful change,” said Sophye Caba at UMOK. “UNLV shares our commitment to improving the lives of Southern Nevada residents, and through events like the President's Holiday Village, we’re able to bring joy to thousands of children and families during the holiday season. Partnering with UNLV allows us to expand our reach and impact, ensuring no child goes without the holiday cheer they deserve.”

The holidays are a time for joy, but for some families our President's Holiday Village event on Saturday served as something of a holiday life-line. One in three Clark County School District students are in need of mental healthcare, more than 13% of Clark County residents live in poverty, 15% are food insecure, and the rate of unsheltered individuals has increased to a ten-year high with a 56% increase in the last three years.

“These are not just statistics – each of these data points represents a person residing in Southern Nevada. And, this is one of the reasons why UNLV and its partners are deeply committed to helping everyone in Southern Nevada have the opportunity to experience a little joy over the Holiday Season, especially our youngest and most vulnerable residents,” said UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield.

As an urban research university, UNLV is connected to and ever thoughtful about how it engages with the Southern Nevada community. Evidence of this can be found in UNLV academic programs, its research to help address community issues, and in its collaborative work with other organizations.

This year’s Holiday Village provided a tangible opportunity to see the impact of UNLV’s collaborative efforts on attendees, especially children, evident by the giant smiles on their faces and in the squeals of joy heard throughout the event. It is just one more example of how Rebels Make It Happen.

The Office of the President and Office of Government and Community Engagement extend their sincerest “thank you” to United Movement Organized Kindness, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Celebrate Kids, and the more than 200 campus and community individuals and organizations who helped make this year’s event possible. Thank you, and happy holidays to all!