LPWire: Disney Employees Adopt One Hundred Seventy Low-Income Families

Disney Employees Adopt One Hundred Seventy Low-Income Families
Through the Salvation Army Family Services Adopt-a-Family Program

Thanks to the generosity of more than 1,900 Disney employees who are taking part in The Salvation Army Family Services Adopt-A-Family Program, one hundred and seventy low-income families will enjoy a very Merry Christmas this year. The families who seek The Salvation Army's help face medical emergencies or financial hardships and are unable to afford a Christmas dinner or toys for their children. Some have fallen ill and have no medical insurance. Others have been laid off from their jobs. The Salvation Army Family Services Department provides assistance for many families, but can't help each one. That's why the Adopt-A-Family program was developed.

"The Adopt-A-Family program was designed to encourage individuals and businesses to help spread some Christmas cheer by sponsoring a family in crisis at Christmastime," said Lt. Colonel Alfred Van Cleef, Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army Southern California. "Thanks to the commitment of Disney employees to our Adopt-A-Family program, we will be able to brighten the holidays for more families than we expected."

Employees of various Disney affiliates will provide each family with gifts of food, toys, gift certificates, clothing or other items. DisneyHand supports the generosity of its employees by contributing a "Starter Kit" of Disney merchandise and toys for each adopted family. Distribution of the gifts for "Disney" families as well as other "Adopted" families occurs throughout the month of December up until a few days before Christmas.

About DisneyHand

DisneyHand, worldwide outreach for The Walt Disney Company, is dedicated to making the dreams of families and children a reality through public service initiatives, community outreach and volunteerism in areas of learning, compassion, the arts and the environment. For more information on Disney's corporate public service efforts, please visit their Web site at www.disneyhand.com.

About The Salvation Army

Founded by William Booth in 1865, The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. The Salvation Army provides services to 42 million people annually and is present in 109 countries. Services provided include disaster relief, food and shelter for the hungry and homeless, substance abuse rehabilitation, child and adult day care, summer camps, educational and athletic programs for at-risk youth, job training and referrals and medical care.

Every year, during the holiday season, more and more people look to The Salvation Army for assistance. This year is no exception. In Southern California, The Salvation Army expects to serve more than 350,000 people. Many of them will be families in crisis, homeless women and children, older adults, the transient and the unemployed. For more information, please visit www.salvationarmysocal.org.

--Posted December 10, 2003
Source: Disney Company