The basics: Dr. René Charles, 60, is an obstetrician and gynecologist in Dinuba. He works at rural health clinics in Dinuba, Caruthers, Selma and Parlier, and also has a private practice. He is married and has three grown sons.

What he does: He buys Christmas gifts for children at the clinics and dresses as Santa Claus to hand out the gifts. Two fellow physicians help pay for the gifts. Charles also cooks and serves a Thanksgiving meal for patients and their families on Thanksgiving Day.

Why he does it: "It's the most exciting thing outside of delivering a baby," Charles said of handing out gifts to children. "It's watching the little kids -- their eyes. They don't care what kind of gift it is."

Turning point: "When I was a kid, we didn't have any money. The only present I ever got was when my mom took me to the Salvation Army. It made a difference in my life. If you're generous, that person is generous and it carries on."

Details, details: Charles grew up in a migrant farmworker family that settled in Orange Cove. After graduating from Reedley High, he worked as a farm laborer like his father. But he was a voracious reader and was interested in science, and his father encouraged him to return to school. He started college in his late 20s, finished medical school and returned to the Valley to help patients living in poverty, as he had once lived.

What others say: "He's taken such an active leadership role," said Kendall Fults, senior vice president of network operations at Adventist Health/Central Valley Network, which operates the clinics. "He actually knows the needs of the community he serves. He's done such good things for kids. He's committed to helping others."

How you can help: Charles said he hopes his story will encourage other physicians to do something similar to help their patients in need.