Looking back at 2020, I think it’s safe to say that no one envisioned the Disneyland, its parks and resorts, being shuttered for more than an entire year. It’s been difficult (to say the least) not just on the cast members, but in the general community where businesses rely on the tourism dollars the Disneyland Resort brings in.
Even though the Disneyland Resort faced major challenges over the last 12 months, they are still an important part of the community and have been giving back to Anaheim and neighboring areas.
In a statement, Disneyland says “Despite the challenges that came with the yearlong closure of our theme parks and hotels, our commitment to the community is stronger than ever.”
Here are some of the ways Disneyland Resort gave back in 2020:
- 1/2 million pounds of food donated to local food banks. This provided 352,000 meals to people in need.
- 40,000 volunteer hours of community support from the cast member VoluntEARS
- 718,000 pounds of merchandise donated to local nonprofits.
- 79,000 items of personal protective equipment (PPE) donated to healthcare workers
- 2000+ toys donated by Disneyland cast members and guests to Toys for Tots.
- 150 wishes of children facing life threatening illnesses fulfilled through wish granting programs before the program was paused due to theme park closure.
- 400+ Anaheim Students who participated in Disneyland’s workforce development programs.
Disneyland also created the “Together We Can Be Incredible” campaign to encourage all residents to adhere to health and safety guidelines during the pandemic. The campaign used character from Pixar’s “The Incredibles” to share tips and reminders of important health and safety measures.
The Walt Disney Company’s strong commitment to corporate and social responsibility is one of the reasons we’re such big fans of the Mouse House. Close ties to the community is also a sound business strategy.
We hope 2021 shapes up to be brighter and better than 2020. We know a lot of people in the community are still hurting, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Do you have any great stories to share about how Disneyland helped your community in 2020? Let us know via email or in the comments below.