No reasonable person would deny the economic impact Disney Parks have on their communities. However, Disney’s engagement with the communities they operate in extends well beyond tax revenue. This is particularly true with the Disneyland Resort, which is literally surrounded by other businesses and neighbors in the City of Anaheim. It is no surprise that the cast of the Disneyland Resort (through the VoluntEARS program) and the company itself are always finding ways to be a good neighborhood partner.
The Disneyland Resort recently hosted, for the 31st time, CHOC Walk, which benefits the local children’s health network. This occurred on the heels of a recent back-to-school drive that resulted in nearly 4,000 school supplies being donated to local students. And in terms of monetary donations, Disneyland made a $5 million dollar donation to the Orange County Housing Finance Trust, which was recently able to support projects such as the recent opening of the Finamore Place affordable housing project.
These initiatives may be some of the most recent, but they are just a small sampling of Disneyland’s recent engagement. This list of ways the cast and the resort is exhaustive. Community park beautification, toy drives, Make-A-Wish, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, are just some of the ways Disneyland stays connected to the community. They have a direct relationship with many community organizations but, in addition to activities that are guided by Disney, cast members are able to direct their efforts into causes that connect specifically to them.
The VoluntEARS program, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, enables cast members to turn their donated hours into money through Disney’s grant program. Disney also matches cast members' gifts to eligible charities dollar-for-dollar through their matching gift program. It also ensures that Disney’s charitable giving is guided to causes that are important to its cast members. Through programs like this, the generosity of cast members at all levels of the organization is amplified.
It is no secret that the Disneyland Resort is looking to grow in the coming decades through the DisneylandForward initiative. And while Disneyland is looking to invest in their business for growth, they also will look at continuing ways to increase their engagement with the community. As Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock said, “It’s inspiring to see what we can do together – private enterprises, community partners, nonprofits and local governments coming together to make a difference. As Disneyland Resort prepares for our growth over the next several decades, we look forward to more opportunities to continue investing in our community.”