NEWS: Walt Disney World Announces New $1.5 Million Donation to 15+ Florida Nonprofits

Walt Disney World is giving new donations totaling $1.5 million to 19 nonprofit organizations creating positive change in Florida. Learn more below.

“Florida has been our home for more than half a century and each organization receiving a grant is doing amazing work for our community,” said Rena Langley, Senior Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs at Walt Disney World Resort. “This will help them continue making big differences and is another step forward in our long history of giving back to those around us.”

Each nonprofit receiving a Disney Grant is supporting important work in the state for Floridians and their families – from establishing strong education and workforce development programs, to supporting the arts, combatting homelessness and hunger and more.

Here’s what the granted nonprofits are saying:

“Disney has been the best partner, and it’s our honor to receive this Disney Grant and continue doing the work to serve our community. I can’t say thank you enough!” – JoAnn Newman, President & CEO at Orlando Science Center

“It is an incredible privilege to be a Disney Grant recipient. It’s one of the biggest votes of confidence I think that we could receive!” – Terrance Hunter, CEO at Central Florida Community Arts

“This Disney Grant means so much to us. We at Hope Partnership are all always humbled by Disney’s support and the way that they take care of the families in our community.” – Rev. Mary Downey, CEO at Hope Partnership.

Disney World cast members spend time personally volunteering with many of the granted organizations and others across the state through the Disney VoluntEARS program. This year, cast have spent more than 115,000 hours giving back through the popular program.

This latest donation joins recent company efforts like hosting Disney World’s largest wish-granting event ever, donating $125,000 to support local school districts, creating a new affordable housing development, expanding our commitment to conservation with $500,000 in environmental grants and more.

Disney will continue to seek out meaningful ways to make significant impacts as it looks to the future. To read more about the resort’s latest efforts in the state, visit DisneyFlorida.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: 6 Reasons We Keep Going Back to Walt Disney World

A few years back, I ran into an old childhood friend that I had not seen in years. When meeting her new husband, she introduced me as the girl who was obsessed with Disney World. She must have been referring to the stream of pictures I would post from our Disney vacations that we seemed to take “all the time.” She admitted she didn’t get it, especially when she learned that we took our 10th-anniversary trip to Disney World without the kids (scandalous)! She confided that she would probably go there one time when she had kids “because you have to,” but she really hated the thought of having to go. This was a rather odd conversation for us, one that we’ve had with other friends and family from time to time. They ask, “What is it about Disney World? Why do you go back year after year?” Here are the six reasons we keep returning to Disney World.

6 – Lasting Family Memories

Vacations are an excellent time to build some lasting family memories. Vacations to Disney World have so many opportunities to create amazing memories because there’s so much to see and do and explore together! Disney World is twice the size of Manhattan, offering entertainment and attractions that can’t be found anywhere else on the planet! There are so many “firsts” that your family can enjoy together. So many traditions that can be done every trip and so many experiences that your family will remember over the years.

5 – Bringing Generations Together

A vacation to Disney World brings generations together with the common bond of loving a mouse! We have taken multiple trips with our mothers and have enjoyed watching them connect with their grandchildren in ways just not possible at home. Grandparents know the characters, the Disney movies, and the story of Disney because they grew up with them too. They get to share that love and create special memories and bonds with their grandchildren.

Parents also get to share their love and excitement of all things Disney with their children. I was never able to go to Disney World as a child, though it had been a dream of mine. When I finally went for the first time, I loved it. However, I loved watching my children experience the park more. Their experiences meant more to me, and it made the trip so much more enjoyable than I ever could have imagined.

4 – Quality Entertainment and Attractions

There are a lot of amusement parks in the world, and many of these are very good. But none can provide the level of quality and depth of the experience like Disney can. How do they do it? It goes beyond a commitment to quality and big budgets. It springs out of their DNA as storytellers. Expedition Everest isn’t just a rollercoaster, it’s a trip through a culture to a faraway destination with an engaging story that starts when you enter the queue and doesn’t end until you’ve left the gift shop. When you’re at Disney World, you don’t just ride rides, you explore stories.

3 – Excellent Customer Service

Disney World’s customer service is among the best in the world. Other businesses model their customer service to match Disney’s. In fact, they offer classes at Disney University to teach other organizations how to do things the “Disney Way.” We’re always hearing amazing stories of Disney Cast Members going above and beyond to make things right and to make Disney dreams come true. The great moments that stand out in other places are the norm at Disney. There’s just nowhere else you can go that consistently reaches this standard, and we enjoy being treated so well.

2 – Disney World is Constantly Changing

You might think that we would be bored with Disney World. Well, not a chance. Disney World is always growing, changing, and evolving. With refurbishments, additions, and expansions, Disney World keeps improving and keeps setting the bar higher. In the last few years alone, Disney Springs has been totally transformed (for the better), Pandora has opened at Animal Kingdom, Toy Story Land, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT is transforming, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg! There are always new things to explore!

1 – The Most Magical Place on Earth

Disney World can be described as the most magical place on Earth. It’s true. Everyday life and troubles often melt away while on a Disney vacation. You’ll hear us refer to the “Disney Bubble.” The mysterious invisible barrier surrounds Disney World that usual troubles cannot pass through. When you enter it, the Disney magic takes hold of you, and you can really forget what you left at home for a while. Families are generally happier because they spend time together, doing some really cool, fun things.

Now, of course, this doesn’t mean that families don’t fight, children don’t cry, and people are not unhappy at Disney World. Real life still does happen. Overall though, we’ve found our vacations at Disney World were times when we were happier as a family and enjoyed each other much more than during our regular routines at home. Disney World is a little closer to the world we wished we lived in, and we’re a bit closer to the people we want to we were all the time.