HOUSTON – For nearly 40 years, Richard Reyes, affectionately known as Pancho Claus, has been spreading holiday cheer to inner-city, at-risk children and families in Houston’s east end.
Between all the different organizations he works with, his own official party and visits to neighborhoods, Pancho Claus hopes to hand out 10,000 presents during the holidays. To meet that demand, Reyes has to raise a lot of money.
“There's a great need because right now parents can’t go to places that traditionally give out presents for needy children. Usually, their list is already completed by now. It's too late to do that so we are kind of a surprise element,” Reyes said.
Reyes told KPRC he’s got the dates, times and locations already figured out but doesn’t like to announce them ahead of time out of fear there may not be enough gifts to go around.
“We do have a GoFundMe page on our Pancho Claus Facebook. All of the Mambo's locations are toy collection centers. Yellow cab will send taxis to pick up toys," Reyes said.
Pancho Claus also has a lot of appearances and performances planned for the busy 2018 holiday season, including the Pasadena, South Houston and Braeswood holiday parades.