Five hundred lucky Coney Island families received a generous gift from financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald.

The firm started a charity after losing hundreds of employees in the September 11th attacks, and has been giving out $1,000 gift cards to families with school-aged children.

Parents at P.S. 188 are some of the latest recipients.

"It's a blessing, it's a blessing," said Tamika Swinton, a parent. "Especially when you work hard, and, you know, the holidays were just here, you spend money, you lose things in the storm, you have children. It's a blessing. I feel grateful."

Cantor Fitzgerald is distributing the gift cards at 19 schools throughout New York and New Jersey.

The firm plans to give away $10 million in total.