December 9, 2017, By PBSWest.org

It’s the Christmas holiday season all over the world and today in Jordan Downs Recreational Gymnasium located at 9900 Grape Street, Los Angeles, CA, there will be lots to cheer about. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., will be hosting its 14th Annual Toys for Watts service project for the small community in Watts, CA. The mission of the program is to collect new and unwrapped toys for the event and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to the needy children in the Jordan Downs community. The message we want to convey is “no child left behind” and “I am my Brother’s Keeper.” We want to help all families enjoy the spirit of Christmas as it was designed to be a joyous event and season.

The Jordan Downs Housing Projects is a 700-unit public housing apartment complex in Watts, Los Angeles, California next to David Starr Jordan High School. It consists of 103 buildings with townhouse style units ranging in size from one bedroom to five bedrooms. The complex is owned and managed by the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA). One-third of the community is employed with an average annual salary of $16,000 a year (US National average is approximately $55,575).

This year more than ever, the members of Theta Alpha Sigma chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., are looking to the surrounding community for help in acquiring more toys to support each and every child in the Jordan Downs community. There are over 800 children in the community that attend the event. Our target age range is infant to 17 years old.

Every kid who comes to the Jordan Downs Recreation Gymnasium today will be allowed to pick from piles of action figures, dolls, balls, games, cars and coloring books. The Men of Sigma will also supply each kid with a book to promote child literacy and encourage the kids.

Today's setup starts at 8:00 AM, runs from 10:00 AM through 12:00 PM, and cleanup starts at 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. So if you are looking for way to serve during this holiday season, this is where you should be!

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Theta Alpha Sigma Chapter | Long Beach, CA organizes and host the event, however, the Men of Sigma and the Women of Zeta throughout Southern California support the project by donating both their time and money. Most years we have extra toys left over that the LAPD along with Community Parks & Recs take them to other housing projects to extend the love to other toy giveaways.

Hon. Bro. Jeffrey Sneed, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Immediate Past Western Regional Director sums it up best, "The impact on the community that we provide, we can’t quantify how much one toy can brighten the life of a child who otherwise would go without".