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'They call me Black Santa': Arkansan buys 400 gifts to help kids for Christmas

Eric Lamb is taking the gift of giving to a whole new level, helping 150 children celebrate Christmas by buying gifts for them!

We can all think of ways to help the less fortunate this holiday season, but how often do we actually act on them? One Conway man woke up four years ago with a vision and he didn't hesitate to make it happen.

Eric Lamb may be the Santa Arkansas always needed. He buys hundreds of gifts, wraps them, and delivers them straight to the homes of families in need.

“I was asleep one night and God woke me up with a vision to start a Christmas ministry for a lot of less fortunate kids," Lamb said.

Now he provides gifts for about 150 kids in Arkansas, a few other states, and Mexico.

“In my house right now I probably have 400 gifts," he said.

With the help of his best friend, Angela Washington, he started Eric's Christmas Miracle Ministry.

He uses his talent of cooking to raise funds. He cooks and delivers plate lunches every Friday to raise money for toys and clothes.

“It’s really emotional because a lot of the kids, I go in their house, they don’t have a Christmas tree, some of them don’t have furniture, so they are really in need," Lamb said.

He sells plate lunches every Friday, almost all year long, to raise money for toys and clothes

Families in need apply on Facebook in August.

“I approve everybody, I don’t turn anybody down," he explained.

He shops and wraps every day after work, on weekends, and using vacation days. Lamb personally buys and wraps each gift. Starting in December until Christmas Eve, with a Santa bag in hand, he delivers each gift.

“I think last year I finished at two in the morning,” Lamb laughed. “They call me 'Black Santa.' That’s what they call me.”

Now people he's given to in the past are returning the favor.

“I had 15 that I had last year, that this year they took on a child,” he said.

There are still about 30 kids or so who he needs gifts for. If you want to sponsor a kid or help, Lamb has information on his Facebook page. He makes sure every kid gets gifts even if it means using money out of his own pocket.

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