D23 and Disney VoluntEARS Bring Fans Together for Children and Military Families
Amid the panels, shopping, announcements and excitement of D23, one of my favorite traditions is finding time to stop at the Disney VoluntEARS booth. It offers a chance to step away from celebrating Disney magic and spend a few minutes helping create some for someone else.
This year, the opportunity changed each day of the event. From supporting children with critical illnesses through Make-A-Wish to helping military families through Blue Star Families and delivering happiness to children in hospitals with Starlight Children's Foundation, D23 attendees were invited to take part in three different acts of service. Together, they offered a small glimpse at the ways Disney and its VoluntEARS support children, families and communities throughout the year.
Most people are familiar with Disney’s longstanding relationship with Make-A-Wish, the organization featured on Day 1, so I particularly appreciated that the event featured various groups and enjoyed learning about some of the other organizations supported by Disney VoluntEARS.
The following day, the Disney VoluntEARS pavilion brought attention to their efforts with the Starlight Children’s Foundation, volunteers packed kits designed to bring happiness to children in hospitals. Disney’s relationship with Starlight has evolved over more than 20 years, growing from care packages into programs that include Disney-themed Starlight Hospital Gowns, virtual reality experiences through Starlight VR, and deliveries of toys, books and games. Together, these efforts have helped with the hospital experience for more than two million seriously ill children.
The final day brought the focus to Blue Star Families. In 2024, Disney and Blue Star Families developed the Welcome Kits program to help military families when service requires them to relocate to a new duty station. At the D23 fan event, volunteers helped pack 6,000 kits for these families.
The process was wonderfully simple. It only took a few minutes, making it an easy way to step away from the busy convention floor and do something helpful. We moved along a row of bins with a bag of items, placing each item into the appropriate bin. Once we finished and the items were counted, we received a small thank-you gift, a special VoluntEARS pin. Each day featured a unique pin design with the charity of the day on the backing card and you could stop by a photo spot featuring the Disney VoluntEARS logo and an assortment of playful props given attendees to capture the moment.
Since the VoluntEARS program was founded in 1983, Disney cast members (aka employees) and others participating through the program have contributed more than 14 million hours of service to causes helping children, families and communities thrive. Thanks to the Disney VoluntEARS who help out during the D23 Fan event so we can be a small part of their larger efforts.