For 43 years, Pancho Claus has been helping kids who are less fortunate have a Merry Christmas. He leads a toy drive that gives gifts to thousands of children in Texas.

Pancho Claus celebrated his 72nd birthday on Sunday, and he also had a toy collection box decorating event on the same day to prepare for his annual toy drive.

Richard Reyes, better known as Houston’s “Pancho Claus”, put on his iconic zoot suit Sunday to kick off the holiday season a little early.

Sure, Santa is great, but have you met his cousin, or primo, Pancho Claus? He’s a zoot-suit-wearing, lowrider-driving Houstonian who has been passing out presents in the East End since the 1980s. Pancho Claus is a local legend in the Houston community who has even gained national attention, but this year he needs your help.

Pancho Claus is a rich tradition of giving that spreads throughout the Lone Star state. Pancho Claus is known as Santa Claus’ cousin from the South Pole. Richard Reyes, also known as Houston’s Pancho Claus, has dressed up in a zoot suit and made appearances in his low rider sleigh for Christmas for more than 40 years.

After an outcry for help from the community, Houston’s own Pancho Claus and his volunteers received a $10,000 check from Mayor Sylvester Turner and community partners.

It was a Santa's workshop Saturday -- with a twist. Instead of jolly ol' Saint Nick, Houston's own Pancho Claus and his volunteers were hard at work trying to make local kids' dreams come true, but they desperately need help from the community.

Pancho Claus riding in a car to deliver presents to kids in east Houston. ROSENBERG, Texas – Houston’s beloved Latino Santa is coming to Fort Bend County this year with a toy drive for less-fortunate children. The League of United Latin American Citizens (Lulac) Chapter 2911 Fort Bend, whose mission is to unite Hispanics and empower residents in the community, will be hosting the toy drive on Saturday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Rosenberg. The organization said in a release that Fort Bend County “sees a despair need” of toy donations, hoping the community can rise up to help children who may be without a Christmas toy this season. Saturday’s toy drive will run from noon to 3 p.m., with Pancho Claus making an appearance from 1 p.m. -2:30 p.m.Last month, Pancho Claus, whose real name is Richard Reyes, created a GoFundMe page to collect donations to purchase toys for children.

Richard Reyes or Pancho Claus as he affectionately knows is asking for the communities help in spreading some much needed holiday cheer. “We don’t have no sponsors cause they aren’t doing that well, you can’t blame them at all,” Reyes said. We’ve already started getting more calls than we’ve ever had,”said Reyes. That challenge has forced Reyes to started a GoFundMe with a $20,000 goal to help purchase the gifts he will need. “We need to raise resources to be able to go out and purchase them ourselves,” said Reyes.