The first-ever Disney Global Week of Service transformed moments of kindness into a international movement. Disney VoluntEARS created a lasting impact during this time.
Over 3,300 Disney VoluntEARS participated in dozens of events benefiting a wide variety of causes during the course of the week. Here are some of the amazing ways our incredible Cast Members brought the Global Week of Service to life.
Over 1,400 cast members participated throughout the week in various VoluntEARS activities at the Disneyland Resort. These activities included the creation of two Disney-themed murals to be donated to the Children’s Hospital of Orange County and Mission Hospital. Disneyland Resort VoluntEARS also assembled backpacks full of learning materials. They also sorted and distributed over 40,000 books for Orange County teachers and students.
In honor of National Cancer Survivor’s Day, Disney VoluntEARS headed to the City of Hope Annual Pediatric Picnic in sunny Los Angeles. Patients and families got creative at the Disney arts and crafts table, and beloved Disney characters made in-room visits to patients unable to make it to the picnic.
Also in California, Walt Disney Imagineers put their engineering skills to work and assembled bikes for foster care kids. They also stuffed and dressed Battalion Bears to comfort children of military personnel deployed overseas and filled Love by Bags to smooth the transition of children aging out of foster care.
And just down the street from Walt Disney Imagineering, cast members at the Glendale Creative Campus stuffed teddy bears for the children of U.S. Military service personnel, decorated bagged lunches for the hungry and homeless around Los Angeles and packed nearly 1,000 comfort kits for U.S. children living in poverty.
On the East Coast at the Walt Disney World Resort, VoluntEARS packed emergency use comfort kits that will be sent to Puerto Rico. They also assembled 10,000 meal kits for Rise Against Hunger and organized 40,000 books to be donated to local families.
At Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, Disney VoluntEARS made a difference for their kaiaulu – their community – by serving at a Foodbank on Oahu. And Disney even took to the high seas where crew members aboard the Disney Magic, Disney Dream and Disney Wonder disembarked to paint Disney-themed murals for local hospitals, and sort 2,625 books and 5,000 pounds of food for Brevard County, Florida.
And this wasn’t just a USA event. Disney VoluntEARS at Disneyland Paris prepared over 30,000 meals that were distributed to families in need. Disney characters also paid a visit to children at the Hôpital Necker. Children were invited to participate in “Wild about Safety,” an educational day in the park that began with a parade down Main Street alongside Timon, Disney VoluntEARS, firefighters and a real fire truck!
60,000 meals for those in need were packed by Disney VoluntEARS at Hong Kong Disneyland. They had planned on packing 50,000 but thanks to an overwhelming amount of people who signed up, an extra 10,000 meals were made! Shanghai Disney Resort VoluntEARS packed school bags for children in Sichuan during the 2018 Annual VoluntEARS & Environmentality Award Ceremony. The VoluntEARS of the Year were awarded with the chance to donate to a charity of choice.
What an incredible week of service the Disney VoluntEARS had! At Chip and Co we say a huge THANK YOU for all they did around the globe for others! And if you want to get involved, check out the new Disney Family Volunteer Reward program – schools and nonprofits can be rewarded with Disney Parks tickets for hosting their own family volunteer events!
Source: Disney Parks Blog
Photo Credits: Disney Parks Blog
