NEWS: Disney Cruise Line Brings Holiday Cheer to Foster Children in the Bahamas
Disney Cruise Line crew members recently visited foster children at the Ranfurly Homes for Children in Nassau, The Bahamas, to help bring holiday cheer. The Ranfurly Homes for Children is a local non-profit foster care organization that provides comprehensive childcare services for displaced children in The Bahamas. Disney Cruise Line crew members spent the day with the children creating holiday ornaments, delivering gifts and surprising the kids with a special visit from Captain Mickey Mouse. Learn more below!
Here are all the details from Disney Cast Member Courtney Stone:
It’s the season of giving, and Disney Cruise Line crew members came together to give back to one of Disney Cruise Line’s port communities in a very special way.
While the Disney Wish was in port, crew members traveled to the Ranfurly Homes for Children in Nassau to visit with the kids and bring holiday cheer. The Ranfurly Homes for Children is a local non-profit foster care organization that provides comprehensive childcare services for displaced children in The Bahamas. Disney Cruise Line crew members spent the day with the children creating holiday ornaments, delivering gifts and surprising the kids with a special visit from Captain Mickey Mouse.
“Captain Mickey walking in for them was the best gift that we could have given them today,” said Zarah, a Youth Activities Manager aboard the Disney Wish. “They enjoyed the presents and crafts, but seeing Captain Mickey and hugging him – they loved it,” she added.
Among the crew members who visited the Ranfurly Homes for Children were LJM Maritime Academy Cadets Christina Adderley, from Eleuthera, and Emily Bain and Summer Lightbourn, from New Providence. In 2019, they were awarded a Disney Cruise Line maritime scholarship, which included two years of study at LJM Maritime Academy in Nassau and one year of service aboard Disney ships. The maritime scholarship program is part of a larger collection of initiatives Disney Cruise Line has implemented to inspire future maritime professionals and support communities across The Bahamas.
“It’s heartwarming to see the impact Disney is making here in my community of Nassau,” said Summer. “The Disney Cruise Line team made so many children smile today. This was an experience I will never forget,” Summer added.
Also joining the team of Disney Cruise Line volunteers was Captain Marco of the Disney Wish. He shared what this experience meant to him. “I feel very proud to be a member of the Disney Cruise Line team. We sail to and from The Bahamas several times a week with our crew members and our guests, so it’s important to us to give back and be part of this beautiful community.”
In addition to visiting with the children, Disney Cruise Line also donated $25,000 to the Ranfurly Homes for Children and gifted each child a tablet device and Bluetooth headphones.
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“The work here at the Ranfurly Home is great, and the need for support is even greater. The children who live here, they deserve so much love,” said Ingrid Deveaux, Administrator, Ranfurly Homes for Children. “This support from Disney will help us tremendously as we continue to provide care for these incredible children,” added Deveaux.
This special visit to the Ranfurly Homes for Children is a continuation of Disney Cruise Line’s “Wishes Set Sail” campaign, an all-new initiative developed to support various youth activities in key port communities in celebration of the Disney Wish’s inaugural season. The visit is one of many ways the cruise line is spreading holiday cheer this season throughout The Bahamas. Earlier this month, Disney Cruise Line donated Disney plush toys and books to more than 650 students in Abaco, near where Disney Castaway Cay is located, as well as in Eleuthera, where Disney Cruise Line is developing a new experience at Lighthouse Point. Crew members also read to the students to share the gift of storytelling and encourage reading. These initiatives further Disney’s commitment to empower Bahamian students to be successful in school and in life.