LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas Raiders may have its own Silver and Black Santa Claus. One football fan is making a once unrealistic dream for underprivileged families become a reality.
Since 2022, Raider Dad founder and director Josh Caminite has spearheaded the effort to collect donations and bring disadvantaged children from across the Las Vegas Valley to Raiders games. While not every parent can fork up the money for the team's league-high $582 average ticket price, more and more kids are getting the chance to cheer on the Raiders from the stands.
A Pittsburgh native living in Vegas for over a decade, Caminite and other season ticket holders have invited 187 children into Allegiant Stadium to watch the Silver and Black the last two seasons. The charitable effort has also let kids watch other pro teams like the Golden Knights and Athletics, assisting families who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend.
Channel 13 sports reporter Nick Walters sat down with Raider Dad and his son, Noah, to discuss the Raider Dad initiative. Hear why it means so much for Caminite to give back and make other fathers 'Raider Dads.'
"Our mission is to create experiences, lead, and inspire hope for children in our community," Caminite said. "It's just about creating a moment for families that ideally wouldn't have the opportunity to do so."
Caminite said the organization is creating "core memories" for local youth, from tailgates outside of Allegiant to seeing NFL games with their own eyes. It's something that he envisioned when first launching the Raider Dad initiative.
"Kids weren't having the same opportunity as my own kids," Caminite said. "I had a lot of support from Raider Nation to help me get these kids into Allegiant Stadium, realizing there's just so much more than hanging out doing tailgates on game days."
"None of this would be possible without a passionate, committed fan base like the Raiders," Caminite adds. "On game days, instead of selling tickets, they'd rather gift it to our organization, find a good cause, and create a memory for these families and our community."
You can visit VegasRaiderDad.org to find more info or nominate a child you may know who could be a fit for the Raider Dad program.
Before the Raiders' Aug. 23 preseason game against the 49ers, Raider Dad will hold a donation tailgating events where Caminite hopes can invite at least 50 families to games this upcoming season.
