2025 Disney Back to School Campaign Brings Books, Resources and Joy to Classrooms in All 50 States 

Building on longstanding relationships with education-focused nonprofits DonorsChoose and First Book, during this year’s return-to-school season, Disney provided essential classroom supplies and books to under-resourced schools in all 50 states, helping ensure a joyful and successful start to the school year. 

Impact By the Numbers

• More than 1,800 teachers and nearly 93,000 students were supported through DonorsChoose projects across all 50 states. Just over 2,000 DonorsChoose classroom projects were fully funded, and more than 1,600 schools were impacted. 

• Upward of 25,000 brand-new books were delivered through First Book to educators in classrooms and programs in every state that serve more than 150,000 students. 

• More than 450,000 supplies were delivered to nonprofits and school districts through the annual Disney VoluntEARS school supply drive. 

• In collaboration with Pasadena Educational Foundation and the Pasadena Unified School District, more than 2,300 students from 9 different schools attended Disney Field Days. The field days were fun-filled events that brought iconic characters and games to the  Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre communities to give extra happiness to children from schools impacted by the Eaton Fire. More than 100 employees and cast members volunteered their time to support Disney Field Days, contributing about 900 hours of VoluntEARS service. 

This year’s Back to School campaign continues the company’s ongoing commitment to inspiring the next generation of storytellers and innovators. Read on to see how these resources are being used in classrooms by creative and inspiring educators.  

Inside Out inspires Joy in the Classroom

Mrs. Jen Sanders, a teacher at Madrid Neighborhood Elementary in Phoenix, AZ was looking for books, coloring pencils, and small LEGO builds to help her students find their calm in the classroom:  

“We feel so blessed to have a Calm Spot in our classroom that was inspired by the Disney character JOY from Inside Out. Joy is our theme this year, and we wanted to have a spot in our classroom that lets students know we value their feelings. When a student feels overwhelmed or anxious—the Calm Spot is ready. A comfy chair, fluffy stuffed animal, coloring pages, or fidget toy may be just what a student needs for a few minutes. Thanks to the help from Disney, our Calm Corner is filled with tools to relax.” 

Celebrating Positive Choices with Disney Magic

Ms. Haley, a teacher at Berwick Alternative Elementary in Columbus, OH was looking for engaging rewards to celebrate students in her classroom who exhibit positive behaviors, helping to reinforce good choices.  

“Thank you so much for funding our PAWSitive Rewards project! Your generosity has brought the magic of Disney straight into our classroom. Because of your support, my students now have a treasure box filled with exciting prizes they can earn for making positive choices. Every time a child earns a reward, their eyes light up with pride, and it reminds them that their good behavior truly matters. These rewards have made a big difference in our classroom community. My students are more motivated than ever to show kindness, responsibility, and teamwork. Having Disney as the supporter of this project made it even more special—your characters and stories already inspire them, and now Disney has encouraged them in real life to be their best selves. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for helping me foster a positive, joyful classroom culture.”

Sparking Imagination Through the Magic of Storytelling

With support from First Book, Disney helped educators stock their classrooms with beloved titles that spark imagination and support literacy. This continues a collaboration that has delivered more than 93 million books from Disney Publishing to the organization since 2000. 

In New Braunfels, Texas, and Prairieville, Louisiana, two teachers are using the books to refill their classroom book vending machines which their students enjoy—with no coins required for checkout! The experience of choosing a book from the machine adds excitement and encourages students to read. Meanwhile, an elementary school teacher in Hamilton, Ohio, is restocking her classroom “bookstore.” Students earn points through reading challenges and use them to “purchase” books, reinforcing positive reading habits and making learning to read an extra rewarding adventure. 

If Your Classroom Needs Support

Teachers can sign up to request classroom supplies at DonorsChoose.org and educators serving kids in low-income communities can become a First Book member for free. 

To learn more about Disney’s legacy of bringing positive and meaningful impact to kids, families and communities around the world, visit Impact.Disney.com.