Disney’s Back-to-School Drive Delivers ‘Pixie Dust’ to Central Florida Classrooms. As the school year kicks off across Central Florida, thousands of students and teachers are getting a magical boost thanks to Walt Disney World’s annual Back-to-School Supply Drive. The event, which wrapped up this week, is Disney’s largest volunteer effort of the summer, with cast members sorting through more than 135,000 donated school supplies.
The supplies are being distributed through A Gift for Teaching, a local nonprofit that provides free school supplies to educators and students. Disney is one of the organization’s longest-standing supporters, with a partnership lasting over 25 years. This helps benefit individuals and families in Orange, Osceola, Lake, Seminole, and Polk Counties.
In addition to the supplies collected from cast members, Disney is providing a monetary donation equivalent to an extra 360,000 school supplies. This contribution follows a separate $500,000 donation the resort made earlier this summer to support local education programs.
For many cast members, like Jeff Ault, a concierge at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort, the cause hits close to home. “My mother was a teacher for over 40 years, and I know how hard it was for her to get supplies for her kids,” Ault said. “Being able to support teachers when they give so much to students is great!”
Volunteering is a family tradition for Ault. His mother remains an active volunteer with A Gift for Teaching, and his father, a former cast member, introduced him to the company’s volunteer events when he was a child. “It’s just what my family did,” Ault said. “Now, as a cast member, I get to combine my two passions during the Back-to-School Supply Drive every year!”
The back-to-school drive is just one of many ways Disney VoluntEARS have been active this summer. The company has also surprised teachers with park tickets, hosted students for “The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson,” and more. As the holidays approach, Disney World plans to continue its community support with additional events focused on the season of giving.
Disney’s Back-to-School Drive Delivers ‘Pixie Dust’ to Central Florida Classrooms
