Wide-eyed and eager, young children from dozens of families browsed the aisles of a Long Island toy store just before Christmas, living a childhood dream: they got to pick anything they wanted.
"It was just so fun because I got to pick a lot of stuff," said an enthusiastic 6-year-old AJ Grant Jr.
The shopping trip at the Commack Toys"R"Us was made possible by one man who wants to remain completely anonymous. He donated $20,000 through a nonprofit in Old Bethpage called FREE -- short for Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. -- and dozens of families were given about $150 each to spend, much more than Santa would have been able to put under their trees at home. The families are all disabled, live in foster care or struggle to make ends meet, especially during the holidays.
"It's very hard," said mother Tammy Feintuch. "It's a feeling I could never explain to anyone."
It's not often the nonprofit get to put so many smiles on so many faces.
"FREE's doing a really good thing for people who need a little help around the holidays," said father David Feintuch. "People are short sometimes on the holidays."
No one knows why the donor chose the organization, or why this cause was so close to his heart. But organizers have a message for him.
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"You really have made this Christmas season the merriest that these kids will remember for a very, very long time. And we truly appreciate this generosity," said Anu Arnold of FREE.
