Lacey Residents Help Kids In Need Get Thousands Of Christmas Toys

LACEY, NJ — There's a North Jersey home adorned with Christmas lights and decorations on every inch of the property. The decorations get more elaborate each year, according to a Lacey resident who always visits.

And so does the good will that centers around the home in Oakland, Bergen County. Several Lacey residents make it possible.

Forked River resident Joe Crincoli planned another visit earlier this month. Between donations and his own purchases, Crincoli gives away hundreds of Christmas toys each year to kids in need.

Crincoli had so many toys that he had no idea how he'd transport them to Oakland. So he called Lacey Limousines for help. John Conte, a driver for Lacey Limousines, came over and put down the seats of his vehicle.

"We couldn’t even pack the boxes," he said. "We had to pack each gift."

Then they arrived at the Christmas wonderland. The home features more than just an elaborate decorative display. During the holiday season, people visit Crincoli's friends home to wrap gifts. Toys fill every room of the Oakland home.

The toys take up so much space that they even set up a wrapping table outside. People wrap gifts under tents on the driveway, as fire pits warm the night and Christmas music plays.

Participants load up trucks and deliver them to the Salvation Army. The operation gives thousands of children gifts every Christmas.

"It gets bigger every year," Crincoli said. "People from all over come. Some people live in Pennsylvania, some people in New York, and everybody just gets involved."

Many Lacey residents donate gifts or even travel to Oakland and get involved. Often there are 40 or 50 people wrapping gifts there.

Crincoli has always emphasized good will. He would often take his kids grocery shopping to look for goods they could donate to the food bank. Years ago, his friends decided to get together and help kids get toys through the Salvation Army.

From there, the operation significantly grew. And there can never be enough good will — even if someone just drops off one donation.

"It’s heartwarming and heartbreaking because when you get a list for a baby and the only thing the parents are asking for is diapers — like, ‘Oh my God,’" Crincoli said.

For families just worried about scraping by with the necessities, they'll always include a little more than diapers, such as pajamas or a toy.

Crincoli found out last year that the operation even helps a local organization: the Lacey Food Bank. The Lacey Food Bank Kids Committee collects new, unused, unwrapped toys and clothing each holiday season for the 220 children currently on the food bank client list.

Participants would like to extend the kindness beyond Christmas. Food banks often struggle to get donations after the holidays, Crincoli says.

Although it might be too late for them to donate more through the Salvation Army for this Christmas, Crincoli told Patch people can still drop things off at his home and even help wrap gifts — Crincoli and his friends have a longstanding relationship with the Salvation Army, so the organization trusts them with wrapping gifts. But they would prefer people donate gifts for the participants to wrap themselves.

Conte wrote about the operation in a Lacey Township Chatter post that went viral within the Facebook group. He said that seeing this operation allowed "me to remember just what Christmas is all about...making others happy."

Before Conte knew it, even he was wrapping gifts with several other first-timers. The operation has grown so much that they might even need a bigger location for next year, Crincoli says.

"A lot of people want to help and they want to do something, but they just need the opportunity," he said. "You give them an opportunity, they’ll help."

If you're in the Lacey area and interested in helping, email Crincoli at jcrincoli347@gmail.com.

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