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The 8th Annual Christmas with Dr. Levy event starts at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Port Arthur Pavilion.

Annually, organizers say, they give hundreds of quality toys, bikes and other items to children who are orphans, being raised by single mothers and grandparents, have parents who are incarcerated or are in families with financial difficulties.

Other event highlights include a petting zoo, nativity scene and Santa Claus taking pictures.

Levy Q. Barnes Jr. began this event eight years ago and has had up to 724 children in the Port Arthur Community attend and receive gifts.

Sunday fun

Port Arthur and other Jefferson County parents can take advantage of free toy giveaway effort Sunday.

The event, the 2nd Annual Community180 Cares Toy Giveaway, starts at 2 p.m. Sunday at Bob Bowers Civic Center in Port Arthur.

The toy giveaway will be contactless and easy, organizers said. There are four easy steps.

• Arrive Early
• Open your trunk or hatch
• Provide the age and gender of children
• Present your identification (the event is for Jefferson County families)

“Bring a mask, because we might come up to them, pray for them and give them some words of encouragement,” said Selena Jenkins, Community180 Outreach director of communications.

“Sometimes, they talk back with us, so we ask everyone to wear a mask, bring an ID and hop in line. All they have to do is leave the trunk open and we’ll put everything in there. If it can’t go in the trunk, we will ask them to open up a car door. They tell us if they have room.”

Even if the weather is not perfect, Jenkins said organizers would be ready.

Last year’s dual events in Orange and Port Arthur served nearly 2,000 people.

“Even though the weather can be kind of funny, we will still be able to get it done with raincoats on and umbrellas,” Jenkins said. “It’s about putting smiles on the kids’ faces and helping the parents.”

Organizers said the event works in conjunction with Toys for Tots.