Through DisneyHAND, its worldwide outreach,
The Walt Disney Company works with all major wish-giving organizations,
including the Make-A-Wish Foundation�, Dreams Come True, A Special
Wish, Starlight Foundation
and Give Kids the World, and does its best to fulfill each wish
requested. Disney also works with many Orlando
charities, as founder Walt Disney always encouraged company
giving to the community. The Walt Disney Company also recently
became a USO
World Sponsor, supporting outreach and marketing efforts on
behalf of the USO
and its programs.
The
USO
Disney company
giving is providing more than $1 million in financial aid
and in-kind support for the USO.
Disney talent visited U.S. troops abroad in December, and the
company has produced and featured a series of public service
announcements focusing on how people can get involved. In addition,
Disney has donated several thousand videos to military bases
through the Red Cross and USO
and will provide a combination of first-run movies and library
classics for the troops. ESPN The Magazine has been distributed.
Disney's radio properties are also providing support to the
U.S. troops by partnering with the Voice of America and the
Army Broadcasting Service to provide the two agencies with recorded
messages that will be heard by U.S. troops stationed around
the world.
The
Starlight Foundation
Starlight
Children�s Foundation is an international non-profit organization
dedicated to improving the quality of life for seriously ill
children and their families. Working with more than 850 hospitals
worldwide, the Foundation provides an impressive menu of both
in-patient and outpatient programs and services. A leader in
delivering distractive entertainment therapies, The
Starlight Foundation's programs benefit more than 85,000
children each month.
Orlando
Charity
The Walt Disney company believes that company
giving should start at home. That is why Disney is involved
in many Orlando
charities. For instance, Walt Disney World held its holiday
toy drive at Downtown Celebration during the town's "Now
Snowing Nightly" campaign. Visitors were invited to donate
a toy to help support the Osceola County firefighters and their
annual toy drive for disadvantaged children of Osceola County.
Walt Disney World committed to match all the toys that were
donated with its own donation of items.
In addition to donating toys, books, videos
and school supplies, Disney Cruise Line donated computers and
other equipment directly to area schools at various ports of
call. As a special treat this year, Disney Cruise Line's shore-side
Cast Members participated in Patrick
Air Force Base's Tree Lighting Ceremony. Mickey and the
team were part of this special celebration for the children
of locally deployed troops, and toys were distributed to the
children at the Air Force base.
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