A Look Back at A Year of Giving in 2020
As we look forward to 2021, I think we can agree that 2020 has been a tough year for just about everyone. It certainly wasn’t an easy one for Disney Cast Members many of who have not been called back to work, nor has it been an easy one for The Walt Disney Company with budget cuts and layoffs.
However, one of the things that really resonated with me when looking back at the year was the prevailing sense of giving and supporting the community. With that in mind, here are just some of the ways Disney’s cast and community made lives better in 2020.
Let’s start with this video:
Around the world, Disney has been working to help those in need. During the theme park shutdown, Disney donated more than 145,000 pizza meals from Disneyland Paris, Pineapple and Sweet Rolls from Aulani resort and worked with local communities in Anaheim and Orlando.
Medical Equipment
During the pandemic, Disney introduced non-medical and reusable cloth face masks featuring some of your favorite Disney characters. To celebrate this new endeavor, over one million face masks were donated to MedShare with profits from the masks funding an additional $1 million for MedShare. The company’s remit is to support the medical community’s ongoing efforts to provide lifesaving care for those in need. Disney Parks also donated over 250,000 rain ponchos to help healthcare workers protect clothing an prolong the use of PPE during busy times. Disney also donated N95 masks and hygiene caps.
Toys for Tots
This year, shopDisney in conjunction with Disney stores across the county collected over 90,000 Toys for Tots to help bring joy to children in need during the holiday season
Holiday Meals and Gifts
Also, as we previously reported here at MickeyBlog, Walt Disney World chefs dished out hundreds of Thanksgiving meals as part of their collaboration with the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida. . Disney Cruise Line also teamed up with Team Members in The Bahamas to provide thousands of holiday dinners to families and across the pond at Disneyland Paris, cast members prepared 50,000 Christmas ornaments which were sent to French and Belgian hospitals!
Spreading Joy To Those at Home
And let’s not forget that Disney helped many of us feel a bit less isolated while at home through efforts like their Walt Disney Imagineering in a Box which was released in 5 languages, Ride & Learn videos and the delightful Paper Parks series!
Training:
This year, Disneyland Resort VoluntEars provided more than 50 virtual workforce development sessions to hundreds of students in the Anaheim area to help them learn how to build a professional resume. Disney Cruise Line honored four female cadets with scholarships to attend the maritime academy in Nassau which includes two years of study at LJM Maritime Academy and one year of service aboard a Disney ship!
Giving to Teachers and Hospitals
At Walt Disney World, cast members paired up with A Gift For Teaching to donate thousands of school supplies to teachers. In addition, Disneyland Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland each shared more than 13,000 toys and activity items with local hospitals.
During International Children’s Day in June, Shanghai Disney Resort also opened a space-themed Disney Fun House at the Shanghai Children’s Medical Center to bring happiness and the Disney experience to children and families.
Spreading Literacy
Disney is also collaborating with Boys & Girls Clubs of America where they’ve given more than one million books to kids across the country.
Make-A-Wish
This past year marks the 40th Anniversary of Disney working together with Make-A-Wish. Throughout the year we’ve been sharing some of these incredible wish stories with you like that of 6 year old Maria who had her wish to be a Disney princess grant! Earlier this year we celebrated a very special Super Bowl victory and 10 year old Nathaniel received his wish and was able to join the Super Bowl MVP parade down Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom.
In addition, Disney unlocked over $720,000 for further wish granting through initiatives like the Wishes Come True Blue color collection, Mickey Mouse vintage holiday plush and Disney Parks Wishables To date, Disney and Make-A-Wish have granted more than 140,000 life-changing wishes.
Food Banks
In 2020, Disney donated over $30 million in food, products and supplies in COVID response efforts.
We hope this spirit of giving continues well into 2021 and also hope that you’ll keep following along with MickeyBlog in the year ahead!
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