ABC Family to Donate to Student Suggested Projects with ‘Bright Student, Big Ideas!’
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ABC Family is joining forces with DonorsChoose.org on the “Bright Student, Big Ideas!” campaign, www.ABCFamily.com/BrightStudents. For the first time ever, public school students in grades 9-12 will be able to work with their teachers to submit a project for funding. ABC Family will “Double Your Impact,” providing 50 percent of the project funding (up to $100,000 in total funding).
“ABC Family believes that every student can have a Big Idea, and we want to be a part of making those ideas a reality,” said Michael Riley, president ABC Family. “DonorsChoose.org, with its innovative micro-financing model, is the perfect platform to help us support students in the pursuit of the ideas that are most important to them. It is powerful to conceive an idea, work to make it happen and then see it come to fruition, and we want to be a part of empowering students to turn their Big Ideas into action.”
“Our partnership with ABC Family will help bring hundreds of innovative and inspiring ideas to life,” said Charles Best, founder and CEO of DonorsChoose.org, “As a former teacher, I understand the importance of keeping students engaged and encouraging leadership development, the impact of which will be felt by the benefitting schools and communities for years to come.”
Whether supplying 15 copies of To Kill a Mockingbird for an 8th grade class in the Bronx, microscopes for a 7th grade science experiment in Detroit, or a field trip for a Baltimore history class to visit the Supreme Court in session, DonorsChoose.org visitors have helped fund – largely through micro-donations of $5, $15 and $20 – more than 200,000 teacher projects that served over 5 million students throughout the U.S., mostly in poverty stricken areas.
Now, with “Bright Students, Big Ideas” campaign on ABCFamily.com, students can take on a more active role. Here’s how it works:
Step One: The student shares an idea for his/her school with a teacher (teacher must be a full-time public school teacher). Students can be as creative as they like, as long as the initiative enriches the class, school or his/or her development. For instance, projects could range from creating an anti-bullying video to hosting a mock trial on an important issue facing students or even a beach clean-up or the creation of an organic garden to help the environment.
Step Two: Teacher submits the idea on the DonorsChoose.org website. Submissions will describe how student(s) came up with the idea for the project, how many students are involved, a request for project materials ranging from $100 to $1,300, and a description of how the teacher will work with them to develop it. All submissions have to include the keyword “ABC Family” in the title field in order to qualify for funding from ABC Family.
Step Three: Once the project request meets the necessary requirements, ABC Family automatically donates 50 percent of the total amount needed (up to $100,000).
Step Four: Once the project is fully funded, DonorsChoose.org will send the teacher and student all of the materials they need to bring the idea to life.
Step Five: Together the student and the teacher put the student’s idea into action. Photos and thank you notes are then sent to the donors who helped make it a reality.
Disney’s Pamela Lifford Honored by Fashion Delivers Charitable Foundation
Disney Consumer Products (DCP) today celebrates Pamela Lifford, executive vice president, Global Fashion & Home at DCP who was named one of the fashion leaders honored at Fashion Delivers™ 6th Annual Gala yesterday Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Fashion Delivers recognized three outstanding honorees who personify the belief that the fashion industry has a heart including: Pamela Lifford; Tom P. Johnson, CEO of Aéropostale; and Andy Hilfiger, Creative Director, Andrew Charles.
Former Disney Consumer Products Chairman, Andy Mooney presented the award to Lifford during the award ceremony. Along with entertainment and fashion celebrities, Disney’s leading lady Minnie Mouse joined the gala wearing a Vivienne Tam dress designed just for her fun loving personality and fashionable style.
Lifford has led the transformation of Disney’s identity in the fashion marketplace. This transformation, which includes a focus on design, quality, and product innovation, has improved consumer and critical perceptions of Disney as a home furnishings and lifestyle brand. During her tenure DCP’s apparel team positioned Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as global fashion icons and executed new business models, now known as direct-to-retail licensing, which provide retailers with customized solutions for offering compelling and differentiated products to their shoppers.
Since 2002, Disney has collaborated with leading designers from Dolce & Gabbana to Jean Charles de Castelbajac and Stella McCartney to make classic characters like Snow White, Mickey Mouse, Alice In Wonderland and others forever fashionable. Today, Disney ranks as the world’s 15th largest apparel brand and is consistently recognized among the top 100 fashion brands by Women’s Wear Daily. Prior to joining Disney, Lifford had over 20 years of apparel industry experience, including product development roles at Road Runner Sports and Nike.
“Since our founding six years ago, Fashion Delivers has helped millions of people both here and abroad to reclaim their lives with the simple gift of new apparel or home items,” said Allan Ellinger, Chairman, Fashion Delivers. “We couldn’t do the work we do without the support of our donors and our industry — many of whom we honor at the gala. This year, we are privileged to count Pam as one of our three honorees.”
As a strong supporter of The Village Family Services in North Hollywood, Lifford participates in their annual fund raising events, and also had the fashion and home team “adopt” the charity last year. They provided funds from sample sales, donated books and services, and organized and funded their annual Christmas party for 1500 families. Lifford has supported the Los Angeles Mission’s food services and mentoring programs, has helped community-based programs for children and the elderly through Disney VoluntEARSs and volunteers for Breast Cancer Foundation events in Los Angeles.
The mission of Fashion Delivers Charitable Foundation, Inc. is to unify the men’s and women’s apparel and home industries to donate new product in order to aid victims of disasters and individuals in need throughout the year. This year Fashion Delivers is focusing on giving back to those in need on our shores with a commitment to providing apparel, home goods and personal care items to members of the military and their families who are trying to adjust to civilian life. The organization has donated over $5 million worth of product since the beginning of the year. In total, Fashion Delivers has distributed over $55 million in product donations since 2005.
Categories: Business, Merchandise Tags: Awards, Charity, Clothing, DCP, Disney Consumer Products, Fashion, Merchandise
Walt Disney World Donates $500,000, Food to Second Harvest Food Bank
Minnie Mouse joined Disney VoluntEARS today to deliver bushels of green to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida in the form of a $500,000 gift for the organization’s expansion. Disney also pledged 20,000 pounds of fresh produce during the next year as part of the commitment.
As part of Disney’s efforts to support organizations and programs that make a positive impact on children in the local community, this gift will fund Second Harvest’s “Building Solutions to Hunger” capital campaign. The contribution will help the organization build a larger facility so it can accept and distribute significantly more food and reach more Central Floridians in need.
“We’re confident the new facility will help Second Harvest reach even more neighbors in need,” said Nancy Gidusko, director of community relations for Walt Disney World Resort. “Our goal is to help bring an end to hunger in this community, and we are proud to join with other generous donors to bring this new facility to life,”
According to Second Harvest, the need for additional space at the organization’s headquarters is critical in reaching more children who are hungry in the community.
“The harsh reality is that the demand for our services continues to grow, and our infrastructure must grow with it,” said Dave Krepcho president and CEO of Second Harvest. “Capacity is king in the world of hunger relief, and a new facility will provide the ability to more than double our current distribution over the next 10-15 years. The gift from Walt Disney World Resort will directly help many thousands of Central Floridians.”
Second Harvest Food Bank will more than triple its cooler and freezer capacities in the new building, enabling the organization to accept and deliver thousands of pounds of additional food when then facility opens.
One way in which Second Harvest collects food for donation is the Disney Harvest program, in which excess prepared and unserved food from locations throughout Walt Disney World Resort are collected and delivered to the food bank five days a week. Since 1991, Walt Disney World Resort has donated several million pounds of food to the Second Harvest Food Bank as part of this program.
The food donated from Walt Disney World Resort feeds more than 1,000 local kids a week at more than 60 nonprofit organizations located in Central Florida, including homeless shelters, soup kitchens, after-school centers and day care centers for children and seniors.
By serving as the food bank’s pilot 20 years ago, Walt Disney World Resort helped establish the prepared and perishable food program at Second Harvest.
Earlier this year, Walt Disney World awarded a $50,000 Disney Helping Kids Shine grant to Second Harvest. The organization is one of many local groups Walt Disney World supports through the outreach efforts of Disney VoluntEARS, collaboration with local community leaders and millions of dollars in cash and in-kind support to local organizations. In 2010, Walt Disney World Resort donated $28 million in cash and in-kind support and provided 228,000 hours of volunteer service from Disney VoluntEARS.
Categories: Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Charity, Community, Donations, Voluntears
Jeff Bridges ‘TRON’ Painting to be Auctioned Online for Charity
Actor Jeff Bridges will have his original painting inspired by the world of TRON auctioned off in order to benefit Share Our Strength®, a national nonprofit, dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America.
The painting, which is acrylic on Plexiglas, measures 46.5″ x 70.5″ and will be available for bidding beginning April 20 from Disney Fine Art. In addition to the auction, a limited edition serigraph, hand numbered and signed by Bridges, will be available for sale in order to benefit the charity, which is receiving 100% of the proceeds from the auction.
As a dedicated artist across various mediums, Bridges has been praised for his eclectic work of fine art, photography and music in addition to his acclaimed film career.
‘As the national spokesperson for Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, Jeff Bridges’ commitment to others is exemplary,’ said Bill Shore, founder and executive director of the hunger non-profit. ‘This donation is another example of how important the work of ending childhood hunger is to Jeff and one of the many reasons we feel honored to be working with him.’
Categories: Merchandise, Movies Tags: Art, Auction, Charity, DFA, Disney Fine Art, Events, Jeff Bridges, Merchandise, Tron, Tron Legacy
Photos: Disney Gets ‘Tangled’ with Locks of Love Event
This past weekend, several celebrity hair-stylists offered complimentary haircuts at the Bungalow Salon in West Hollywood, CA to benefit the Locks of Love charity in celebration of the Disney Blu-ray/DVD release of Tangled.
Locks of Love provides hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long term medical hair loss in an effort to ‘return a sense of self, confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss.’
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has graciously provided us with the following slideshow consisting of photos from the event:
Disney’s Tangled is now available to own on Disney Blu-ray/DVD combo pack. In addition, there are just a few days left to enter our Tangled gift pack giveaway.
Categories: DVD/Blu-Ray, Movies Tags: Charity, Events, Human Interest, Locks of Love, Rapunzel, Tangled
Walt Disney World Marathon Runners Donate Over 7 Tons of Clothing to Area Youth
As winter weather sets a chill across Central Florida, thousands of local youth are keeping warm thanks to donations from participants in the 2011 Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna.
This week, nearly 25,000 warm clothing items from Disney will be distributed to those in need through Orange County Public Schools, Osceola County Public Schools, Covenant House and other Central Florida non–profit organizations.
The items, such as coats, sweaters, long sleeved t-shirts and gloves, were collected by Disney Marathon organizers along the race route on Jan. 9. Runners typically bundle up in layers prior to the marathon to keep warm and shed items as they make their way through the 26-mile course. In total, approximately 14,696 pounds of clothing was left behind for donation. Disney textile services laundered all of the gently used items before giving them to Central Florida charities.
Photo courtesy Walt Disney World Resort.
Categories: Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Charity, Community, Donations, Human Interest, Walt Disney World Marathon
Details for Final ‘ABC Daytime Salutes Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ Event Announced
“All My Children” stars Walt Willey and Bobbie Eakes will co-host the Grand Finale Celebration of “ABC Daytime Salutes Broadway Cares” in New York City on March 13, 2011. Mr. Willey and Ms. Eakes have been part of the benefit since the very first production in celebration of “All My Children’s” 35th anniversary show. Cameron Mathison had previously been announced as host but is now unable to travel to New York due to a scheduling conflict.
Following last year’s rousing musical performance of her rendition of the Tina Turner classic, “Proud Mary,” Sherri Shepherd, co-host of “The View,” returns to the Broadway stage at the 7th annual event. Her headlining number will no doubt bring the audience to their feet once again.
Stars joining Mr. Willey, Ms. Eakes and Ms. Shepherd in performances on stage will include: “All My Children’s” Natalie Hall and Lindsay Hartley; “One Life to Live’s” Kristen Alderson, Kassie DePaiva, David Gregory, Josh Kelly, Mark Lawson, Nic Robuck, Brittany Underwood, Kelley Missal, Hillary B. Smith and Kim Zimmer; and “General Hospital’s” Bradford Anderson, Brandon Barash, Anthony Geary and Jonathan Jackson (talent participation is subject to change).
Broadway Cares also is announcing a variety of auction packages in support of the event, including:
- The ultimate soap fan fantasy weekend, which includes round-trip airfare to New York and hotel accommodations, private access to the event’s final dress rehearsal, VIP tickets to the Grand Finale Celebration and a post-show party with the cast
- The opportunity to appear on stage during the Grand Finale Celebration
- Opportunities to appear in a scene of “All My Children,” “One Life to Live” and “General Hospital”
- Behind-the-scenes tours of each ABC Daytime drama
- A VIP package for a taping of “The View,” including a meet-and-greet with the hosts
- More exclusive, one-of-a-kind auction lots will be announced soon.
Additionally, fans will have an opportunity to win prizes through the ABC DAYTIME SOAP-A-THON SHOWDOWN. The SOAP-A-THON is an interactive online competition where fans of ABC Daytime dramas have the chance to win rare ABC Daytime memorabilia, including show props and wardrobe pieces. Fans will raise funds online for Broadway Cares in the name of their favorite ABC Daytime duo. They’ll compete against other fans to see who can raise the most money. The top fundraising team coordinator will be eligible to win a pair of VIP tickets to the Grand Finale Celebration and will be recognized for their efforts from the stage.
For tickets and online auction information visit www.broadwaycares.org or call 212.840.0770.
Categories: Television, Theatre Tags: ABC, ABC Daytime, Broadway, Charity, Events
Walt Disney World VoluntEARS Donate Over 2,000 Teddy Bears via ‘Dress-A-Bear’ Program
A teddy bear is special gift. In an instant, it can become a child’s best friend. Partnering with the Salvation Army of Central Florida, Disney VolunEARS dressed more than 2,000 bears during this year’s Dress-A-Bear program.
Walt Disney World cast members have been participating in the Dress-A-Bear program for the past 14 years. Janice Jones, Walt Disney World Costumer and Workroom Manager, has coordinated Creative Costuming’s Dress-A-Bear efforts since the program’s beginning.
“It’s a creative outlet for cast members and it provides something special for children,” said Jones.
Many of the bears receive one-of-a-kind outfits, handmade with great care by cast members on their own personal time. Using scraps of fabric and creativity, VoluntEARS craft cuddly ensembles for firemen to princesses. Buzz Lightyear, Rapunzel and the Mad Hatter were found to be “beary” fashionable this year. All of these efforts are done in hopes of connecting with a child in need.
“To be able to share our talents with children, and to make one of kind unique clothes, is a labor of love,” said Elizabeth Lau, Creative Costuming Workroom Manager.
The special bears, along with 393 filled stockings, will be distributed by the Salvation Army of Central Florida to local children who are in need of holiday gifts.
Categories: Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Charity, Community, Donations, Voluntears
Walt Disney World VoluntEARS Donate 20,000 Toys to Toys for Tots Program
With approximately 20,000 brand new toys in tow, Walt Disney World Resort VoluntEARS were on a mission this morning to make the holidays brighter for thousands of local children. Joined by Mickey Mouse and Duffy the Disney Bear, Disney VoluntEARS made a special delivery to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Central Florida Toys for Tots headquarters to drop off the sizable donation.
Walt Disney World Resort cast members have spent the past few weeks playing the role of Santa’s helpers by collecting tons of new toys as part of the resort’s annual effort to support the Toys for Tots campaign.
Items appropriate for infants and teenagers alike, ranging from dolls to bicycles, were transported from Disney today via military vehicles. Upon the convoy’s arrival at the Central Florida Tots for Tots warehouse, Disney VoluntEARS assisted a squad of U.S. Marines in unloading and sorting the thousands of donations.
“We are so grateful to Disney for their generous support of Toys for Tots,” said First Sgt. Michael Diaz, who heads up the 2010 Central Florida Toys for Tots campaign. “Their donations will make holiday dreams come true for thousands of local kids.”
In addition to contributing 20,000 toys, Disney VoluntEARS have given thousands of hours toward helping the U.S. Marines register families in need, sort and stock toys and assist with toy distribution.
This year, Central Florida Toys for Tots expects to assist 7,200 families from Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties in celebrating the holiday season with gifts for more than 20,000 children. The annual toy drive is meant to send a message of hope to youngsters by ensuring they have at least one new gift to open during the holidays.
The Walt Disney Company’s involvement with Toys for Tots began more than 60 years ago when Walt Disney and his animators designed the original Toys for Tots logo that is still used today.
The annual toy drive is one of many charitable activities underway at Walt Disney World Resort during the “Season of Sharing” that focuses on improving the lives of local children and their families during the holidays and beyond.
Categories: Business, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Charity, Community, Donations, Toys for Tots, Voluntears
Photo: Duffy the Disney Bear Helps Kick Off Walt Disney World ‘Toys for Tots’ Drive
(L-R) US Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Jahir Jimenez, Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse, Duffy the Disney Bear and US Marine Corps First Sgt. Michael Diaz, head of the 2010 Central Florida Toys for Tots campaign, pose Nov. 15, 2010 in front of the “Cuddliest Christmas Tree” at Epcot in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The 20-foot-high, 10-foot-wide Christmas tree made of 1,200 stuffed Duffy bears was created for the launch of Walt Disney World Resort’s annual Toys for Tots collection drive. For the next few weeks, Walt Disney World Resort cast members will play the role of Santa’s helpers by collecting new toys for the annual toy drive, which will be added to Monday’s donation of 1,200 stuffed Duffy bears from the “Cuddliest Christmas Tree.” The annual toy drive is one of many charitable activities under way at Walt Disney World Resort during the “Season of Sharing” that focuses on improving the lives of local children and their families during the holidays and beyond. (Photo by Gene Duncan/Disney)
Categories: Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Cast Members, Charity, Donations, Duffy, Toys for Tots
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