Two
primary compassion
programs that DisneyHand supports are the medical compassion program
and the Company�s relief efforts in the wake of September 11. The medical compassion program creates opportunities to fulfill
the wishes of children stricken with life-threatening illnesses,
support those with life-threatening medical conditions and assist
those who have suffered from natural disasters.
The Walt Disney Company and Disney employees work with
major wish-giving organizations, such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation,
Dreams Come True, A Special Wish, Starlight Foundation and Give
Kids the World.
The number one wish of all children with life
threatening illnesses is a trip to a Disney theme park. In 2001,
the company donated more than 7,000 trips to Disney theme parks,
nearly 300 Disney Cruise packages and nearly 85,000 complimentary
park tickets, which amounts to more than $4 million in tickets
and in-kind support for compassion programs. In addition, the
company provided shopping sprees at Disney Stores and movie screenings
around the country.
Give
Kids The World is a 51-acre, non-profit resort for children
with life-threatening illnesses whose one wish is to visit central
Florida's best loved attractions. Through charitable
giving and donations of trips to Disney theme parks, The Walt
Disney Company helps Give Kids
The World grant wishes to terminally ill children.
Give Kids The World
Founder and President Henri Landwirth says the Village would not
exist without the dedication of the "Angel" volunteers."They
are the pulse and the heart of Give
Kids The World and have been an integral part of the Village
since its inception in 1986," Landwirth says. Volunteers
are everywhere at Give Kids The
World, performing many essential tasks, both interacting with
the guests and behind the scenes. In addition to the many services
performed at the Village, many individuals give time and efforts
through other channels.
In
addition to extending its compassion to children with life-threatening
conditions, DisneyHand sponsors the National Cardiovascular Research
Initiative, a program developed by the Entertainment
Industry Foundation to help prevent cardiovascular disease.
Providing
assistance for the relief efforts in the wake of the September
11th attacks is another type of compassion program
that DisneyHand supports.
The Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney employees showed
their compassion for those affected by the events of September
11th through a range of activities, from creation of
the DisneyHand: Survivor Relief Fund, which donated $5 million
dollars to relief, to the implementation of several special programs
for military families. During
the multi-network broadcast on September 21, 2001, to benefit
victims of the terrorist attacks, numerous Walt Disney World cast
members helped out by handling calls from people wishing to donate
money to the September 11 Telethon Fund. The employees used the Walt Disney World reservation system
to handle incoming calls.
Additionally, The Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney employees
continue to support the military at home and abroad.
For instance, through Operation Uplift Disney employees
send messages of encouragement and support to U.S. servicemen
and women.
Other
programs that DisneyHand supports include the newly launched Disney
Adventures All-Stars contest.
Disney Adventures magazine is running the contest, which
encourages and recognizes
all children who make the world a better place through volunteerism
and helping their communities.
Participants who want to enter the Disney Adventures All-Stars
contest can register as an individual, family or group when they
sign up to do volunteer projects.
Participants must complete a volunteer project and submit
an essay to Disney Adventures magazine.
To
learn more about DisneyHand and its programs, please visit www.disneyhand.com.
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