Korey Wise is the only one of the Exonerated Five who still lives in Harlem and he recently spent some of his time to make the holidays better for the children in his native New York neighborhood.

Wise accompanied the Friends of Public School Harlem and the Migdol Foundation for a holiday gift giveaway party on Monday (December 23) to hand out holiday gifts to more than 200 families from Lehman Village Houses and the surrounding area.

“It was great to see the smiles, hear the screams of excitement, and receive the hugs from parents and children,” said Wise, according to Amsterdam News. “Being here and providing holiday cheer to children and sending a message that somebody cares is a great feeling. I thank the Friends of Public School Harlem and the Migdol Family for making it happen.”

Jerry Migdol, founder of the Migdol Family Foundation, explained how important the event was for area children and their families. 

“We are just happy to be part of this and be able to give back to the community we love. It’s always so much fun to spend time with these kids and make their holiday special,” he said. “There’s nothing better. We invite everyone to join us for upcoming Chanukah, Christmas and Kwanza events.”

Ava Duvernay, the creator and director of the Exonerated Five’s series When They See Us tweeted out a local news package about Wise’s presence at the event. Watch below.