Disney and... PHILANTHROPY...?

When you think about Disney, you think the castle, Mickey, the theme parks, maybe even how expensive it all is, but do you think about philanthropy? I'm a firm believer that giving should be year round, and Walt was too.


Walt was very concerned with helping others to build a better world, and that attitude hasn't stopped, even though he is gone.


Did you know, last year Disney gave over 400 MILLION to non profit organizations that helped communities, kids and families! In addition to the financial gifts, they've done a lot of other really neat things to give to the communities. Disney has played a huge part in all of the hurricane disaster releif efforts in 2017, donating millions to that. They’ve also been longtime partners with Feeding America, and this year teamed up with a cosmetic line for Disney products where 100% of the proceeds go to Feeding America but that’s only the tip of the iceberg! Here are a few of my personal favorite things that Disney has done to help others!


In 2014, Disney illustrators designed comic books that also folded into posters to be delivered to almost 450 hospitals, and have kept up that annual tradition! This year's comic is going to be Guardians of the Galaxy! These comics are not just your usual comic you'll find on the comic store wall, but are specially designed just for these kids. Way to go, Disney! That's just awesome.


Click the photo below, to read the original article! At the end of the article, you can even read the digital comic, yourself.  

Childhood literacy is so important to me, just ask Mr. Disney who just might tune me out when I get on my soapbox about school budget cuts, and reductions in products with Boxtops for Education that have make the school library suffer. While I don't do all of the fundraisers that come home, simply because we can't, I always, always do library fundraisers.


The importance of reading is so important to Disney too, they have donated over 34 MILLION books in 5 years. That's a lot of awesome stories out there for kids who might not otherwise get exposed to books. In this digital age, a lot is lost in translation without the feel of a real book, and the experience of turning the pages. I'm so excited Disney feels the same!


This next one makes me smile. You can click the photo below to read the article! 
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In November, Disney hosts the Holiday Share Joy Campaign. They partner with Feeding America, Toys for Tots, and their VolunteEARS do a day of community service, and make holiday comfort kits helping to make the holidays brighter for many children!


I learned, and was quite surprised (So yup, I'll be throwing this one around a lot this Christmas, all excited!) Disney's connection with Toys for Tots began in 1948, when Walt Disney and his animators designed the Toys for Tots logo, that is still in use today!! How amazing is that?! Maybe that's why that's always been my favorite charity to donate toys to, it was subconsciously sending those Disney vibes!

Mr. Disney Magic would be sad if I didn't mention Disney's Force For Change charity. The super, Star Wars themed fundtraiser, but Disney has done so many other amazing things for youth and adults, including recently supporting the opening of the New Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and partnering with the American Red Cross and Doc McStuffins herself, for the Pillowcase Project, preparing third through fifth graders for emergencies. I could go on and on, but I'm going to give you the main link so you can read some of these wonderful articles yourself so you too can be inspired to make a change in your community! It takes a village, but like Mother Teresa said, “If you can't feed a thousand people, feed one.” This year my goal was to loom knit 12 hats for our local Salvation Army seniors, but I'm feeling so inspired right now, I'm going to see if I can get that number a little higher! Let's all see if we can do just one thing this week to make things better for someone else!


For some reason, Disney doesn’t update everything they do on this particular website. I read many of the things that they do in their Disney Parks blog, so I’ve included a few of those links as well.


https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/news/


https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/philanthropy/#charitable-giving


https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/philanthropy/#volunteering


https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/philanthropy/#be-inspired


http://citizenship.disney.com/?cds


https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2017/09/walt-disney-company-commits-2-5-million-to-hurricane-irma-recovery-efforts/


https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-donates-500000-humanitarian-aid-support-mexican-communities-impacted-recent-earthquakes/


While there are many, many companies who give to their communities and disaster relief, I really think that Disney goes above and beyond, and in doing so, perfectly captures the way Walt would want it done. 

This year, add a little of that Disney Magic to your holidays by helping someone. Grab a name or two off the Salvation Army tree, put a few toys in a shoebox, or the Toys for Tots bin that you see, and make someone experience the joy and warmth of knowing that they were remembered this Christmas.