People With Disabilities Treated To Toys 'R' Us Shopping Spree On Long Island
LAKE GROVE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Dozens of people with disabilities on Long Island were treated to a special shopping spree Wednesday, all thanks to an anonymous donor.
As CBS2's Hazel Sanchez reported, any child or kid at heart would want to roam free through a toy store – fulfilling their Chanukah or Christmas wishes? That dream came true for dozens of special needs people who got to roam the aisles at a Toys 'R' Us in Lake Grove, Long Island. Among them was Angelina Bosconi.
She got twin baby dolls and was thrilled.
"It's awesome to be part of this great organization, and the amount of people that they're going to help," said Toys 'R' Us manager Adam Zaslow.
The nonprofit group Family Residences and Essential Enterprises Inc., also known as FREE, was treating more than 100 of their clients to the shopping spree Wednesday. It was an amazing gift mad possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor.
"He's donating $25,000 to the individuals we support, and helping them go out and buy their own presents," said Anu Arnold of FREE. "They get to pick what they want. They get to make the choices and then get to open them on Christmas morning -- that they might not have had before."
"I like getting presents," said gift recipient Lauren Sissons, who added that the opportunity to pick her own presents was "awesome."
The holidays are difficult for Brian Fisher, 26, who lost his mother last year. The shopping trip raised his spirit.
"I really got what I wanted, and I'm really thankful, and I'm really happy for what I got -- thank you so much," he said.
But the shoppers knew the day was not about receiving – as Bosconi made clear.
She said she was picking out "stuff for my brother, John – because I love him."
The reason of the season does not get any purer than that.