Disney Supports Kids Heading Back to School Around the World

As students prepare to head back to school, Disney VoluntEARS are coming together around the world to help kids start the year ready to succeed. From school supply drives to hands-on community events, Disney’s back-to-school efforts are reaching classrooms and families in all 50 states and beyond.

Throughout the back-to-school season, we’ll continue sharing these moments on this page.

Back to School Bash at Hudson Guild

In New York City, Hudson Guild’s Back to School Bash brought families, community members and Disney VoluntEARS together for a day of fun centered around education, opportunity and school readiness. In addition to free backpacks and school supplies, the event served warm meals, entertainment and a festive atmosphere for kids and families in New York’s Chelsea and the west side of the Manhattan community.

Disney VoluntEARS helped distribute school supplies and engaged with more than 400 children through family-friendly activities, pairing essential resources with genuine community joy so every child could walk into the first day of school feeling prepared and excited for what’s ahead.

Supporting Classrooms in all 50 States with DonorsChoose

This year, Disney teamed up with DonorsChoose to support classrooms across 50 states with a 2x donation matching campaign. Launched during Teacher Appreciation Week, the campaign fulfilled teacher requests for their TK-1st grade classrooms in under-resourced communities. By matching public donations, Disney helped to provide access to arts and storytelling resources, equipping educators with the resources they need and helping kids successfully and joyfully explore their creativity.

As a result, Disney funded more than 1,600 classroom projects, reaching 1,035 schools and positively impacting an estimated 27,900 students nationwide. Thanks to these generous donations, DonorsChoose delivered thousands of much-needed educational resources to classrooms, including more than 7,200 art supplies, nearly 3,000 books, and approximately 2,800 educational kits and games, helping teachers bring the magic of arts and storytelling to our youngest learners.

Disney VoluntEARS Back to School Supply Drive

Employees from across Disney came together to support the annual Disney VoluntEARS Back to School Supply Drive to provide students and educators with school supplies to kick off a successful school year. So far, through a company-wide collective effort, more than 20,000 school supplies have been donated, benefiting thousands of students in local communities where Disney employees live and work. The Disney VoluntEARS Back to School Supply Drive is just one of many initiatives taking place throughout the summer, extending Disney’s positive impact into classrooms and communities around the world.

Back-to-School with Disney Signature Experiences 

Storyliving by Disney and Cotino cast members packed 40 backpacks filled with school supplies for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley youth. The students also received complimentary memberships to the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert, in Rancho Mirage, following a STEAM (Science, Engineering, Technology, Art and Math) filled day of creativity, discovery and hands on learning.

At Disney’s Vero Beach and Hilton Head Resort, cast members helped make a difference for local students through the Disney’s Back-to-School supply drive that generated 762 donated items. The campaign reflects Disney’s ongoing commitment to supporting the local communities where cast members live and work.

Disney Cruise Line crew members continue to support students and educators in communities where Disney sails. Each year, Disney Cruise Line VoluntEARS participate in Back-to-School activations in Florida and The Bahamas ranging from organizing school supplies with Brevard County’s Supply Zone for Teachers and expanded efforts through initiatives like The Play Project which helped to refurbish playgrounds and sports courts at 9 schools across The Bahamas.

The same commitment was extended for the first time this year to Alaska. Crew VoluntEARS from the Disney Wonder visited Harborview Elementary in Juneau where they donated boot and glove dryers along with hundreds of activity bags filled with learning books and games for the students.

Alongside Southeast Alaska Food Bank, Disney Cruise Line provided pre-packaged snacks for every student at the school. “Over the last few years, the Southeast Alaska Food Bank has worked with Disney to make sure local kids are included and the community benefits from Disney’s presence,” said Dan Parks executive director of Southeast Alaska Food Bank.

The students also got a very special visit from Captain Mickey Mouse and Captain Minnie Mouse. “The looks in our students’ eyes were pure joy and excitement, which is something only Disney can do,” said Jem Gaceta, school counselor at Harborview Elementary. “We are blessed to have been selected by Disney to be the school of their choice, and we are thankful for their time and generosity.”

Hong Kong Disneyland

At Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Disney VoluntEARS are helping children start the new school year ready to learn and thrive. Through a resort-wide back-to-school campaign, more than 20,000 gifts and school supplies were donated through more than 10 nonprofit organizations across Hong Kong, supporting students, families and educators in local communities. Over 100 Disney VoluntEARS contributed to the effort, from collecting and preparing supplies to supporting donation activities. On August 31, Disney VoluntEARS will also visit Po Leung Kuk Small Group Homes to personally deliver essential school supplies and host interactive games for children, bringing encouragement and joy as they get ready for the year ahead.

Anaheim Students Return to School with a Little Dash of Disney Magic

Disney VoluntEARS recently stopped by Juarez Elementary and Orange Grove Elementary to help make the return to school even more memorable. At Juarez Elementary, teachers and staff were surprised with tickets to visit the Disneyland Resort, and students were welcomed with plenty of excitement as they kicked off a new year of learning.

At Orange Grove Elementary, students were able to select from a variety of items donated by cast members. Collectively, cast members donated more than 6,500 items for students. The Disneyland Resort is proud to celebrate and support the students, educators and families who make our Anaheim community so special.

Disney’s Back to School efforts are all part of our ongoing commitment to inspire and support kids, families, and communities in all 50 states and around the world. To learn more about how Disney supports future generations, visit Disney.com/FutureGenerations.