‘Sweet’ Alice Harris, treasured Watts philanthropist, hosts Christmas bike giveaway
LOS ANGELES - With the holidays in full swing, it's the season of giving and Watts philanthropist "Sweet" Alice Harris has been the epitome of giving back for decades.
At 90 years old, she isn’t slowing down.
Just weeks after overseeing a Thanksgiving turkey giveaway, the treasured Watts community member hosted a Christmas bike giveaway.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ‘Sweet Alice’ Harris, 90, continues Watts tradition of Thanksgiving turkey giveaway
"’Sweet’ Alice being the powerhouse she is, is thrilled to be a part of this festive occasion and can't wait to see the joyous faces on the children as they receive their brand new 20" bikes from Santa," a press release about the event stated.
The heartwarming event also featured holiday music and snacks.
She shared that her motivation stemmed from her own upbringing.
"When I was little, I didn’t get anything" Ms. Harris told Good Day LA’s Brooke Thomas. "Every year we cried and my mama said ‘Well I couldn’t do anything this year. Maybe next year.’"
SUGGESTED COVERAGE: Kendrick Lamar, SZA among headliners for Christmas toy drive, concert in Watts
She added that one year she decided she’d stop relying on her mother for gifts and that she would create a better life for herself.
"I’m going to get a job and take care of me. I won’t let any child be like I was, they’re going to have a smile on their faces," Harris said. "I know how they feel."
Honored for her decades of service, a street in Watts was renamed after her in September. Sweet Alice Row serves "as a permanent reminder of her impact and the legacy she continues to build at 90 years young," said Los Angeles Councilmember Tim McOsker, whose 15th district includes Watts.
RELATED: 'Sweet' Alice Harris honored with street renaming
Harris will celebrate her 91st birthday on Dec. 29.
SUGGESTED COVERAGE:
- Clippers star Terance Mann hosts basketball clinic for young athletes in Inglewood
- Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt provides Thanksgiving meals to Lincoln Heights families
- Russell Westbrook's foundation gives out Thanksgiving meals in South LA for 13th year
More about "Sweet" Alice Harris
"Sweet" Alice Harris was born and raised in Gasden, Alabama, about 60 miles northeast of Birmingham, on Dec. 29, 1933. She moved to Detroit, where she operated her own beauty shop. She moved to Los Angeles in the late 1950s, seeking better opportunities and a brighter future for herself and her family, only to face numerous challenges and hardships as an African American woman in Watts amid poverty, gang violence and social neglect, McOsker said earlier this year.
City News Service contributed to this event.